Cargo Business Newswire

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Top Story

Freight forwarders call for end to unjustified shipping line surcharges

The International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations, also known as FIATA, says it’s time for the world's container carriers to provide clearer explanations of the growing variety of surcharges that they apply.

FIATA is a trade association that represents the world's freight forwarders and logistics service provider, covering approximately 40,000 forwarding and logistics firms that employ around 8 to 10 million people in 150 countries.

Robert Keen, chairman of FIATA's Multimodal Transport Institute, said in the statement that forwarders are used to currency and fuel surcharges, but need more transparency when other surcharges, often with questionable names and purposes, are charged to freight forwarders.

"In the past, we have seen administration fees, peak season surcharges, or ISPS-add on surcharges," said Keen. "Of late, we have had examples of container cleaning fees and container sealing fees, without any evidence of the expense actually being incurred."

FIATA notes the recent advent of port congestion surcharges caused by labor unrest, as well as haulage surcharges resulting from HGV driver shortages—charges that are difficult to understand since there is no explanation and little justification for an additional charge for a service that the container line is finding difficult to provide.

Keen, who is also director general of the British International Freight Association concludes: "It is time for freight forwarders to stop accepting at face value opaque and unjustified surcharges."

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