Agreement sees 30% reduction in shipping costs for exports to US

AMMAN — The Amman Chamber of Industry (ACI) and European Cargo Services agreed on Monday to cut shipping costs of Jordanian products exported to the US by 30 per cent, provided that 2,000 containers are shipped each year.

ACI Vice President Ahmed Khudari stressed that the move aims to increase the Kingdom’s exports to the US, pointing out that Jordanian exports to the US have reached $1.5 billion per year.

During a meeting held at the ACI headquarters, Khudari said that high shipping costs and a 70-day delivery period are the main challenges that hinder the Kingdom's exports to the US, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The decrease in shipping costs will enhance the competitiveness of Jordan-made products, he added.

The reduction will include 20 main ports in the US. The cost of shipping 40-feet containers into New York’s port will drop by $900, while shipping to California and Chicago will drop by $1,300 and $2,500, respectively.

The agreement also included reducing delivery time through implementing an intensive tracking system designed to address obstacles at transit ports.