Zentner Shipping has just received notification from ASC Liner Services in Singapore, that effective from BORKUM voyage BK1902, ASC Liner Services will be charging out for any and all costs associated with delays to cargo operations/working the ship at either Cocos or Christmas Islands.
At Christmas Island, ASC Liner Services will also be charging out for any additional pilotage costs.
Over the years these additional costs, resulting from delays/pilotage, have either been absorbed by ASC Liner Services or claimed with the introduction of a “Swell Surcharge”.
However the above has never been successful and never allowed ASC Liner Services the opportunity to fully recover their additional costs.
ASC Liner Services has therefore decided by implementing this new policy, they will recoup their additional costs caused by delays/pilotage, by claiming costs from shippers with cargo on board the ship, for the island where the delays have been experienced.
Costs will be determined on a voyage by voyage basis and only claimed if costs are sustained.
This policy brings the above into line with worldwide standard shipping practices.
To implement this new policy, Zentner Shipping will continue to raise invoices for shipping costs, once the ship departs from Fremantle.
“IF” delays are experienced at either Cocos or Christmas Islands, ASC Liner Services will determine the delay costs.
Zentner Shipping will then raise a separate invoice to each shipper, whose cargo was on delayed port call, to recover the above delay costs.
Delay or pilotage costs will be pro-rata charged out to each shipper, and based on value of actual shipping costs as invoiced out to each shipper.
ASC Liner Services has assured Zentner Shipping that they will only claim for delay costs if and when they occur.
Hopefully the above costs will not be encountered for a while, as we are coming to the end of this “Swell Season”.
What should be kept in mind is that the last 2 x voyages experienced delays, and ASC Liner Services could have implemented this policy earlier but left it until the end of the current “Swell Season”.
