Reset container handling times, Fiata says
Fiata is urging shipping lines to review current free time periods for containers and reinstate the no-less- than-feasible levels as they applied before the pandemic.
Market conditions have changed in the meantime, and retaining the status quo is no longer justified, the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations says. Fiata adds that reasonable free periods will allow merchants sufficient time for container handling.
During the last few years, free time periods for containers were reduced and tariffs for demurrage and detention were considerably increased. This forced merchants to make considerable efforts to meet free time windows, leading to landside congestion, and above all, traffic jams around major ports and terminals.
However, merchants were also charged detention and demurrage fees even in situations where they had no control over the container turnaround time, Fiata said. (ben)