PUF seeks unfettered coastal cargo movement

The Financial Express, 31 July 2012

CHITTAGONG, July 30: The Port Users Forum (PUF) has opposed a move by vessel owners to dominate the inland water transport business by holding traders hostage.

The opposition came in the wake of issuing a letter by two organisations of inland coastal cargo carriers to the cement factory owners, calling for booking ships through the Water Transport Cell (WTC). The letter voiced concern over falling cargo business by the coastal or lightering vessels, saying it almost halved in the just-concluded fiscal year, compared with a year ago.

PUF leaders raised the issue at a meeting held in the port city today where president of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry Murshed Murad Ibrahim chaired.

Representatives of Inland Vessel Owners Association Chittagong (IVOAC), cargo agents, C&F agents association, local agents association, Bangladesh Master Stevedores Association, Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association, Chittagong Port Truck Owners and Contractors Association attended the meeting.

The stakeholders urged the inland coastal ship owners to ensure smooth transportation of essential commodities, fertiliser, cement and industrial raw materials from Chittagong port to other destinations of the country.

In his address MA Latif, immediate past president of the CCCI, said that the letter issued by Coastal Ship Owners Association of Bangladesh (COAB) and Bangladesh Cargo Vessel Owners Association (BCVOA) was “illegal” and “unethical” because booking of ships through the WTC will affect the trade as most businesses have procured their own vessels through huge investment to facilitate smooth carrying of their cargoes.

“In the global free market economy, no singular entity should be allowed to reign supreme on others, which the WTC is going to enforce through the COAB and BCVOA,” Latif said.

In the past the entrepreneurs, exporters and importers had to count financial loss worth millions of US Dollars on account of demurrage charges, he said. “To get rid of such demurrages the industrial enterprises procured vessels for carrying their goods investing a lot of money,” he observed.

CCCI president Murshed Murad Ibrahim alleged that the WTC was trying to hold the businesses hostage. But the port users representing all port related activities will vehemently oppose the evil attempts designed by those quarters.

The meeting demanded immediate withdrawal of the letter so that prevailing congenial atmosphere in the sector is ensured.