SA shippers for end to freight hikes

Karachi The Association of Shippers' Councils of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka (ASCOBIPS) on Friday resolved to join hands with world's other Shippers' Councils to bring to an end the "Anti Trust Immunity", under which the shipping lines resort to "frequent and unjust" freight hikes.

This was the outcome of a meeting the ASCOBIPS members held at the Federation House, where delegates after discussing common issues relating to shipping faced by member countries adopted four resolutions pertaining to free trade, cut in cost of doing business, exchange of information and trade facilitation.

Pakistan Shippers Council (PSC) Chairman, Abdul Rasheed Janmohammed, Asian Shippers Council (ASC) Chairman, John, disclosed these at a joint press conference.

The delegates were unanimous in their view that in the presence of 'Anti Trust Immunity' the shipping lines, which operate under cartels, would continue to resort to frequent and unjust freight hikes, which 'killed' business, particularly of small and medium enterprises.

We would join hands with other shippers bodies such as Asian Shippers' Council, EU Shippers' Council and ASEAN Shippers' Council who have already expressed their resentment over the anti-trust immunity given to shipping lines, the resolution said.

All those countries that had given anti-trust immunity to the shipping lines would also be approached and we will try to convince them along with other shippers' councils to withdraw the immunity, the ASCOBIPS members told the newsmen.

(Courtesy - The New Age)