KARACHI: FPCCI President Mian Nasir Hayat Magoo has suggested the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, and Customs work closely with the FPCCI’s Pakistan Shippers Council to ensure that the country’s shippers and freight forwarders businesses can be saved.
He added that shipping and freight charges were at an all-time high and that the unavailability of shipping containers and container vessels and the current situation is caused due to coronavirus. Over the years, the shipping and logistics industries have faced extremely difficult conditions.
In addition, government ministries and departments have not developed adequate government assistance mechanisms. As the President of FPCCI, Mian Nasir Hayat Magun has expressed full support of the Pakistan Shippers Council and Pakistan International Freight Forwarders Association from the platform of FPCCI.
FPCCI President welcomes high-level and large-scale meetings of PSC and PIFFA at FPCCI meeting aimed at finding solutions to various shipping and freight charges issues and challenges.
President FPCCI has suggested that a Shipping Rates Advisory Board (SRAB) be constituted which should be a powerful body and all stakeholders should be included in it.
The chairman of the Pakistan Shippers Council also said that shipping lines were receiving unfair exchange rates and the State Bank of Pakistan should regulate them effectively and exchange rates should be fixed on the basis of EGM.
Rashid Jan Mohammad also expressed his concerns over the delay in clearance of containers from the ports and noted that the customs clearance rules within the limit of 30 days are not being followed.
Mian Nasir Hayat Magun has suggested that Pakistan National Shipping Corporation should come forward and fill this gap by providing large-scale feeder services in the region. He added that this would be in line with the government’s vision of achieving high growth rates in the country’s exports.
