In Pakistan, importers face delay in clearance of containers

FPCCI body convener urges authorities to take notice of backlog at Port Muhammad bin Qasim

KARACHI:

Port Muhammad Bin Qasim is facing a backlog of six to nine days, which is causing delay in the clearance of consignments and hefty losses to commercial importers.

Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Central Standing Committee on Customs Convener Shabbir Mansha Churra protested against the continued delay in the offloading of containers for examination at Port Qasim by terminal operators.

He requested the collector customs to take notice and issue directives to the terminal operators to offload imported containers as soon as possible so that importers could be saved from heavy losses in the shape of demurrage and detention charges.

"We have been informed by our association members that traders are facing unnecessary delay in the clearance of their consignments … due to delay in the offloading of containers marked for examination," he lamented.

"It has been observed that after a month or two, traders face backlog trouble at container terminals and nowadays a huge backlog of containers has started, which is increasing on a daily basis and still there is a backlog of six to nine days," the FPCCI official pointed out.

Mansha Churra, who is also the founder and chairman of the Pakistan Artificial Leather Importers and Merchants Association, said if the situation remained unresolved, the terminal would be choked, due to which the trade would be affected badly.

It "is also bearing heavy financial losses in terms of container detention charges by shipping companies, which amounts to an average of $80 to $100 per day for each container".

The FPCCI committee convener added that on the other hand commercial importers were unable to meet their market commitment due to increase in the duration of customs clearance of imported goods including raw material, which ultimately created a gap in demand and supply and was also increasing the cost of doing business.

He requested the collector customs to look into the matter on a priority basis. "Immediate action should be taken to make necessary arrangements for timely offloading of containers and till the clearance of all the backlog terminal operators should compensate for the shipping container rent, which has been incurred due to their fault."