KARACHI (December 29 2002) : The Major shipping lines have reduced rental for a 40-foot container, fitted with generating sets (genset), from Rs 15,000 to Rs 12,000 but some other companies are insisting on the enhanced rates, fruits exporters said on Saturday.
The shipping companies, which have reduced the charges, are American President Lines and Maersk Sealand, while Naurasia, Ravian and Hanjin, which have the largest fleet of genset containers, are still sticking to the exorbitant rental.
The exporters have welcomed reduction in genset charges by the two leading shipping companies, but said that these could not meet the entire requirement of the genset containers.
About 150 containers are required by the exporters to meet the Kinno export orders, mainly from Jakarta, Colombo, Malaysia, Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
They said that Hanjin got the largest number of genset containers, but it was demanding Rs 15,000 per genset box.
The exporters further said that the Kinno export season was marred this year firstly by a row with the exporters on the mode of packing and secondly, increase in charges of genset container from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 by the shipping companies.
Many small exporters have been knocked out of the export business by the high transport and genset cost for loading the containers with Kinno at farms located in Punjab and bringing them back to Karachi for shipment, which comes to about Rs 4,5000, including Rs 30,000 for trucking charges for a 40-foot container.
The exporters have appealed to the Minister of Commerce, Human Akhtar, to direct the shipping companies not to increase the genset rental at the height of the Kinno season, which might result in loss of exports and consequently foreign exchange earning of the country.
