SHIPPERS in member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have decided that greater transparency will be an ''absolute necessity'' in the establishment of freight rates and other surcharges levied by conference lines and rate agreements.
The decision was taken at the 16th annual meeting of the Federation of ASEAN Shippers' Councils (FASC), held in Hong Kong this week, which was hosted by the Hong Kong Shippers' Council.
Among other issues of common concern raised at the meeting was the implementation of and constant increases in terminal handling charges (THCs).
Delegates felt that the time when ASEAN shippers' councils would sit back and allow shipping conferences and rate agreements to unilaterally set new charges without transparency were over.
''Unreasonable rates and surcharges increases would add substantially to the cost of our external trade, thereby affecting our competitiveness,'' the federation said in a statement after the meeting.
Members and associates - who included Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia and South Korea - passed a resolution calling on their respective governments to enact legislation requiring transparency and negotiations between shippers and carriers before changes aremade to rates and surcharges.