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The Association of International Shipping Lines welcomed a Philippine Ports Authority Port Management Office-NCR South letter which the association says effectively stops the imposition of channeling fees at the Manila International Container Terminal
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This is pending a review of PPA policies on pilotage services
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AISL had wanted a statement from the PPA on the issue of whether the MICT navigational lane has a channel as Manila Bay harbor pilots impose a channeling service
The Association of International Shipping Lines, Inc. (AISL) welcomed a Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) Port Management Office (PMO)-NCR South letter which the association says effectively stops the imposition of channeling fees at the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) pending a review of PPA policies on pilotage services.
Channeling services at MICT is a contentious issue between AISL member lines calling at the Manila terminal and the Manila Bay Harbor Pilots Partnership (MBHPP). The issue revolves around whether the MICT navigational lane has a channel, which would warrant the rendering of channeling service by the pilots, AISL said in a statement.
“AISL member lines are greatly relieved by the clarification of PM Esto (PMO-NCR South port manager Catherine Esto) as this addresses a lingering concern,” AISL president Patrick Ronas said in a statement.
He added: “AISL is ready to abide by whatever pilotage rules set by PPA management upon recommendation of its Policy Review Committee.”
MBHPP in an advisory to shipping lines December 27 imposed a policy that pilots will not board vessels calling MICT unless a channeling request is made by the master/captain of the vessel. Prior to this, AISL said harbor pilots have not imposed channeling fees for vessels calling MICT.
AISL in a letter to Esto dated July 11 requested an official statement “declaring that MICT has a channel and therefore subject to a channeling charge by the pilots” in order to “settle once and for all this persistently recurring issue.”
In a letter response to AISL dated July 23, Esto explained she is prevented from issuing an official declaration that MICT has a channel pending PPA’s review and update of its order on pilotage services.
PPA in November last year conducted a public hearing for a proposed administrative order to amend and update its 38-year-old policy on harbor pilots and pilotage services.
READ: PPA proposes update of 38-year-old harbor pilot policy
“With the clarification of Port Manager Catherine Esto that her office cannot issue an official declaration that MICT has a channel pending review by the PPA Policy Review Committee of regular and special pilotage services in all PPA pilotage districts, this can only mean that shipping lines and MBHPP have to await the final policy decision of the Authority on the matter,” AISL noted.
Esto in the same letter to AISL, reiterated, for the meantime, the implementation of PMO-NCR South Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 01-2024 and Port Operations Bulleting/Advisory (POBA) No. 006- 2024.
MC 02-2024, issued last January, reinforces implementation of pilotage services and fees at MICT and Manila South Harbor, which are both under the jurisdiction of PMO-NCR South.
READ: PPA reinforces implementation of pilotage fees, service at Manila terminals
POBA No. 006-2024 dated May 28, 2024, meanwhile, reminds all harbor pilots to strictly comply with the existing pertinent rules and regulations of PPA, particularly on the embarkation and disembarkation at the designated pilot boarding station. – Roumina Pablo
