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The Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines is postponing an earlier decision to stop accepting import cargoes of Evergreen Line starting December 16
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On December 13, CTAP said it was postponing the planned action in light of a scheduled meeting on December 16 with Bureau of Customs officials
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The group on December 11 pointed to “extraordinary difficulty and delays” in returning empty containers of Evergreen Line as the reason for the planned non-acceptance of Evergreen import boxes
The Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines (CTAP) is postponing until further notice an earlier decision to stop accepting import containerized cargoes of Evergreen Line starting December 16.
The stoppage would have been in response to complaints from members about the “extraordinary difficulty and delays” they experience in returning empty containers of the Taiwan-based carrier.
On December 13, CTAP announced it will instead meet with Bureau of Customs officials on December 16. The group said it hopes the meeting will “yield positive results to the perennial issues and concerns of the trucking industry.”
In a December 11 memo to its members, the truckers’ group had noted “there appears to be no immediate solution and action undertaken by Evergreen Line to the perennial problem of the return of their respective empty containers.”
CTAP said the stoppage will be in effect “until the problematic empty container return, delays, and operational costs are effectively [resolved]” by Evergreen Line.
CTAP advised clients/consignees to use “alternate shipping lines with more favorable records.”
In a phone interview with PortCalls, CTAP president Maria Zapata said they were “forced” to issue the December 11 memo as the delays are affecting members’ livelihood. With empty containers stuck on trucks’ chassis, truckers are unable to accept other deliveries.
And while truckers also experience delays in returning empty containers of other shipping lines, Zapata said the sizeable container volumes of Evergreen Line poses a big problem.
She said CTAP is open to addressing the issue with the carrier.
Asked for a solution, Zapata said they are proposing for the BOC to shorten dwell time of foreign empty containers in the country from the current 90 days to 45 days to force shipping lines to evacuate their empty containers and unclog empty container yards. Under BOC Customs Administrative Order No. 01-2015, the period for re-exporting of empty containers is 90 days after their return to the shipping line, otherwise duties and taxes will be paid on the boxes.
PortCalls sought a comment from Evergreen Shipping Agency Philippines Corp., the carrier’s agent in the country, but has not received a reply as of press time. – Roumina Pablo
