ANTAQ approves container handling and storage standard

The National Agency for Water Transport (ANTAQ) approved in a board meeting held last Friday (08/09), at its headquarters in Brasilia, the standard that establishes regulatory parameters to be observed in the provision of handling and storage services of containers and volumes at public and private port facilities. The previous standard approved by the Resolution No. 2,389-ANTAQ, from 2012, will be repealed as the new standard comes into play.

The approved standard establishes the criteria to be taken into consideration when charging the Terminal Handling Charge (THC) and the Segregation and Delivery Service (SSE), also known as THC-2.

The THC is the price charged as reimbursement of expenses for cargo handling services between the port terminal gate and the vessel’s side, including the transitory storage of cargo for the term agreed between the maritime carrier and the port facility or operator, in the case of exportation, or between the vessel’s side and its placement in the port terminal stack, in the case of importation.

SSE, on the other hand, refers to the collection, on importation, by the cargo handling service between the stack in the yard and the port terminal gate, not being part of the services paid by Box Rate, nor of the services whose expenses are reimbursed through the THC.

In accordance with ANTAQ regulations, the SSE will be charged with the prior electronic scheduling by the facility or port operator of operating windows to be continuously and regularly spaced to serve all customers/users.

Once the new standard is in force, the private container handling terminals are also subject to regulation. The inclusion of TUPs is in line with Law No. 12,815/2013 and Decree No. 9,046/2017.

Box Rate and other services

In accordance with the standard, the services done in the Box Rate will be performed by the facility or port operator, upon freely negotiated remuneration established by contract or disclosed in the price list.

In turn, the services not covered by the Box Rate and by the storage, when demanded or requested by customers/users of the terminal, will obey the freely negotiated service and remuneration conditions. The maximum values must be previously disclosed in price lists, observing the commercial conditions stipulated in the lease agreement and ANTAQ rules, forbidding abusive or harmful competition practices.

As a result, port facilities are required to disclose the maximum prices and detailed description of the services that will be charged to users, including application rules, deductibles, and exemptions, if any, at least 30 days prior to the commencement of validity on their e-mail addresses and terminals.

Source: Antaq

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