A rift has grown between exporters and terminal operators as the latter become agitated by shipment delays at the terminals. Cutoff time is set through mutual agreement between a particular shipping line and the terminal operator based on the ship schedules while containers cleared after cutoff can only be accommodated if there is sufficient time to load before sailing, and more importantly, if the slots for that discharge port are still available.
Yet, exporters are complaining of the hold up of containers by terminal operators that result in the delay of shipments and cause financial loss. On the other hand, it is also noted that in many cases, the exporter is simply unaware of procedures and delays are entailed due to this lack of knowledge while blame is placed upon terminal operators.
In this regard, a maritime expert and former Director General Ports and Shipping Capt Anwar Shah, who noted that “port or cargo terminals rely on instructions of the shipping lines to receive and load cargo onto ships. Cargo will be received as speedily as possible”. He also stressed that all vessel services (the shipping lines) have a published cut off time to accept containers and in most cases, the containers will be ‘shut out’ and loaded on the next ship if the exporters cannot deliver their containers to the terminal before the shipping line’s cutoff time.
Various clearing agents at the Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT) informed that the terminal does not accept documents but only ‘on chance’ if the exporter fails to meet the cutoff time of the shipping lines but this is also on the provision of space or time with the shipping lines. This concept is just like a ‘waiting list’ because the shipping lines have the right to stop receiving containers in order to avoid delays in their shipping schedules, they added.
Similarly a few members of the shipping committee of Karachi Chambers of Commerce and Industries (KCCI) opined that ‘many members of the chamber are well aware of this concept of ‘on chance’ containers and they do not face such issues given that they possess a flexible mechanism. We from our platform advise our exporters/members to deliver their cargo to the terminals before the cut-off time, otherwise there is a risk of shutting out of their containers to the next ship, they added. Additionally, an agent of shipping lines informed that the loading of containers on a ship is a complex process and many factors are considered when planning ‘stowage’ of containers on a ship, which includes weight of containers as loading heavy containers on top and light containers on bottom could easily overturn a ship at the sea. Containers for ports being called first are loaded on top and those for ports being called later are loaded on bottom, he added.
It was also stressed that the international movement of cargo is a complex process involving the multiple handling of goods from factory to loading on a ship and involves an intricate system of paperwork as well as elaborate communication channels with participants in the logistic supply chain such as shipping lines agents, trucking companies, clearing agents amongst others.
