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 waters or waters belonging to the maritime area 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 vessel, cargo, and passenger operating in domestic transport and vessel, cargo, and passenger operating in international transport.

According to regulations, for ships anchored or tied at many locations in the waters or waters belonging to the maritime area 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 calculated.

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

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

Thus, compared with 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 that are not specialized in serving oil and gas 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 and adjustment of the price according to regulations.

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