Written by The Banking Post
Inland container depot (ICD) owners have agreed to raise handling charges by 20 per cent for an interim period, backing down from a previously announced sharp hike after negotiations with the Chittagong Port Authority.
The revised decision came at a meeting held at Chittagong Port, where depot operators and key trade stakeholders discussed the long-running dispute over tariff revisions. The meeting was chaired by the port authority chief and attended by representatives of shipping agents, shipping lines, exporters and freight forwarders.
Earlier, the Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association had announced a steep increase in handling charges for outbound loaded containers, along with higher fees for empty boxes and other services, effective from September 1. The move faced strong resistance from port users, who refused to pay the revised rates.
As the standoff continued, depot owners announced a service stoppage from December 11 to press their demands. At the request of the port authority, the strike was later deferred for a month to allow room for dialogue.
According to officials familiar with the meeting, both sides agreed on a temporary arrangement under which ICD operators will apply a 20 per cent charge increase for six months. During this period, the port authority committed to completing the process of standardising depot tariffs by engaging international consultants.
A senior BICDA official said the association accepted the interim hike after receiving assurances that a transparent and standard tariff-setting mechanism would be introduced within the next six months, helping resolve the issue on a long-term basis.
