Customs looking to tighten rules for shipping agents: official

KARACHI: The customs authorities have proposed amendments in the licensing rules for shipping agents so that they could be taken to task in cases of professional misconduct towards importers and exporters, an official said on Monday.

“Customs Preventive, responsible for such licensing and regulation, received myriad of complaints from importers regarding extortion and unethical conduct of the shipping agents,” the official said.

“Current rules do not provide for punitive action on account of such tactics; therefore, amendments have been proposed in the licensing rules.” The official said these amendments would make it compulsory for the agents to issue proper bill specifying itemised details of cargo handling and clearance charges received from the importers and exporters,” the official said. “After the changes in the law the agents would also be bound to receive payments from importers/exporters through cheques only and maintain a proper manual register to record all the charges received,” he added. An importer said shipping agents were ripping off traders in the name of detention and other miscellaneous charges on one pretext or the other and there was hardly any transparency or method in fixing the container detention and security deposit tariff.

“Shipping companies, their agents, and freight forwarders are charging uncalled-for tariffs under various impertinent heads, which are trade unfriendly and causing delays in the delivery of consignments, forcing importers to pay extra port and terminal charges,” the importer said. He said no concrete measures have yet been taken despite clear signs of damage these practicing were causing and the shipping companies and agents continue to thrive on the indifference on the part of the authorities. “There should be a fixed tariff system to discourage these companies that are denting national trade,” the trader said.