Reduction of port dues insufficient, says Anave
Anave, the association of Spanish shipping companies, has voiced its criticism of the current policy of port dues in Spain. Already considering the state reductions in the port tax (T-1) contained in RD-law 15/2020 to be insufficient, Anave said that "several shipping companies reported at the Anave steering committee that the ports intend to make a very restrictive application of these reductions".
On the one hand, the port sector claims that the reduction would only apply to ships in maritime services that have cut their operations "by at least 50%, even by 70%". The governments of the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands even say that the reductions refer only to ships in quarantine.
Furthermore, some port authorities argue that, since their operating results are negative, they cannot apply bonuses. In summary, the reductions introduced are "not only late and insufficient", as Anave said, but now "the picture is even bleaker". (mw)