New regulations on service prices for using bridges, wharves, and mooring buoys

The new regulation replaces Circular 39/2023 of the Ministry of Transport promulgating the price list for pilotage services and services using bridges, wharves, mooring buoys, container loading and unloading services and towing services at Vietnamese seaports.

According to regulations, for ships anchored or tied at many locations in the water area or maritime zone of a seaport, the service fee for using bridges, wharves, and mooring buoys is calculated based on the total actual time of anchoring or tying at each location.

Accordingly, based on current legal regulations on management of service prices at seaports, service quality and market situation, enterprises providing services at seaports decide on specific prices within the price range for services using bridges, wharves and mooring buoys according to the decision of the Minister of Transport.

The price frame for services using bridges, wharves, and mooring buoys in maritime areas is divided for each type of ship, cargo, and passenger operating in domestic transport and ship, cargo, and passenger operating in international transport.

According to regulations, for ships anchored or tied at many locations in the water area or maritime zone of a seaport, the service fee for using bridges, wharves, and mooring buoys is calculated based on the total actual time of anchoring or tying at each location.

In case a vessel cannot handle cargo due to weather for more than 1 day (24 consecutive hours) or must give way to another vessel according to the dispatch order of the Director of the Maritime Port Authority, the service fee for the bridge, wharf, and mooring buoy during the time when cargo is not handled will not be charged.

The regulation clearly states that the total tonnage (GT) is one of the basic units for calculating the service fee for using bridges, wharves, and mooring buoys. In particular, for ships carrying liquid cargo, the total tonnage is calculated by 85% of the largest GT recorded in the certificate issued by the inspection agency to the ship according to regulations, regardless of whether the ship has ballast water tanks or not.

For passenger vessels, the gross tonnage is calculated by 100% of the maximum GT stated in the certificate issued by the ship's inspection authority according to regulations.

Thus, compared to Circular 39/2023, the new Circular does not specifically regulate the price frame for passenger services through bridges, wharves, and mooring buoys, as well as the case of ships other than specialized oil and gas service vessels entering oil and gas service ports to load cargo.

Vietnam Maritime Administration is responsible for organizing the implementation of the Circular. In case the price forming factors change, which may cause the service price at the seaport to be lower than the minimum price or higher than the maximum price as decided by the Ministry of Transport, Vietnam Maritime Administration shall organize the appraisal of the price plan and report to the Ministry of Transport for consideration of price adjustment according to regulations.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/quy-dinh-moi-ve-gia-dich-vu-su-dung-cau-ben-phao-neo-192240630161127239.htm