中文
　 (Established in 1955•一九五五年成立) 　
To: HKEA Members
Members' Circular

27.06.2008

 New Emergency Bunker Surcharge charged to consignees in Hong Kong and South China  　

A total of eight shipping lines have taken a common action and introduced a new Emergency Bunker Surcharge (EBS) that is to be charged from Hong Kong and South China starting from 1st July 2008. The EBS is HK$440/RMB400 per 20 feet container or HK$880/RMB800 per 40 feet container, consignees have to pay the new charge regardless of whether freight has already been prepaid in Taiwan or not. 

The shipping lines involved cover almost 100% of the service in the trade. Annual volume of Taiwan–Hong Kong/South China trade is estimated to be around one million TEU, The Hong Kong Shippers’ Council said. With the new EBS, shipping lines are expected to take away HK$440 million a year from shippers in Hong Kong and South China.

Commenting this act as arbitrary and unfair to Hong Kong and South China shippers, the three shippers’ councils, including The Hong Kong Shippers’ Council, Shenzhen Shippers’ Association and Macau Shippers’ Association, demand shipping lines to recline their action of collecting the charge from Hong Kong and South China only. The three shippers’ councils also call for rejection of the charge by shippers in Hong Kong and South China.

The Hong Kong Exporters’ Association supports the three shippers’ councils’ suggestions and advises members to reject paying the new EBS. “Although shipping lines have been confronted with cost pressures because of surging fuel prices, bunker and fuel surcharges are understood as a charge paid for freight but not other transportations. Moreover, collecting charges from only Hong Kong and South China is an act which violates international competition law,” Chairman of The Hong Kong Shippers’ Council, Willy Lin, who is also the Honorary Chairman of The Hong Kong Exporters’ Association, said. “Therefore, we urge the shipping lines to call off the new charge. We will invite the government to intervene this unjust action.” 

For details, please browse to:
http://www.exporters.org.hk/2003/member04/20080627_attach_eng.pdf


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The Hong Kong Exporters’ Association Secretariat

The Hong Kong Exporters' Association  
Room 825, Star House, 3 Salisbury Road
Tsimshatsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Tel: 852-2730-9851
Fax: 852-2730-1869
Email: exporter@exporters.org.hk
Website: www.exporters.org.hk 

Founded in 1955, The Hong Kong Exporters’ Association (HKEA) is committed to safeguarding the interests and progressing the business opportunities of its member exporters. Currently, the HKEA has more than 650 members which specializes in diverse areas of export and re-export trade, as well as manufacturing.

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