ASEZA reviews plan to impose additional fees on late-arrival vessels to Aqaba

AMMAN — The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) on Monday discussed with sea freight stakeholders the Aqaba Container Terminal (ACT)’s plan to impose additional fees on vessels that do not arrive at the port at their scheduled time. 

ASEZA Commissioner for Economic, Administrative and Customs Affairs Mahmoud Khleifat said that ASEZA called on all stakeholders to find a proper mechanism not to incur additional fees on the national economy during the exceptional circumstances the world is going through under the pandemic, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Khleifat said that the decision was adjourned until holding the ACT's Board of Directors meeting and if the board decides to impose the additional fees, the ASEZA Council of Commissioners will consider the decision before making the final decision in a way that accords with the interests of the national economy. 

Dureid Mahasneh, president of the Association of Owners of Shipping Companies, said that there is a joint national interest between the public and private sectors not to increase the fees in a bid to preserve the economy under the exceptional pandemic-imposed circumstances.

Deputy President of the Jordan Chamber of Commerce Jamal Rifai said that the private sector has shouldered its full responsibilities during the pandemic and it is unable to incur any additional burdens, calling for refraining from imposing any additional costs on container handling at the port.

Representative of the Association of Owners of Clearance Companies in Aqaba Mohammed Jalal said that the association had contacted all stakeholders earlier, mainly the ACT, to refrain from taking this decision, especially after clearance companies started to recover from the pandemic's repercussions.