‘Aqaba Container Terminal to discuss possible fine exemptions for merchants after delays’

AMMAN — Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) Chief Commissioner Hani Mulki on Saturday said the administration of the Aqaba Container Terminal (ACT) will hold a meeting on Monday to discuss the private sector’s demands.

Merchants and importers have called for exemptions from storage fees and delay fines they incurred as a result of delays at the port during Ramadan, according to a Foodstuff Traders Association (FTA) statement sent to The Jordan Times on Sunday.

During a meeting with association members, importers and merchants, Mulki said ASEZA is a neutral party regarding the repercussions of delays at ACT, stressing the right of those who were harmed by them to go to court.

Mulki added that he directed stakeholders to form a special committee to look into the financial demands related to storage fees paid by importers and exporters, according to the statement.

The chief commissioner also expressed his appreciation for the role foodstuff traders played during the fasting month of Ramadan by supplying the market with main food items, supporting strategic reserves and maintaining prices, despite the delays in handling containers.

Mulki also said that he will meet with relevant parties in the terminal to discuss offering incentives to merchants and importers to encourage them to import goods months before Ramadan — when consumption of food and beverages rises due to changes in eating patterns — to avoid congestion.

FTA President Khalil Haj Tawfiq called on ACT to exempt importers from storage fees for the period between June and Eid Al Fitr (July 17-19), according to the statement.

He blamed the company for the crisis, highlighting other damages that merchants and importers had to deal with, such as the expiry of some products and missing the rise in demand.