Cross-border freight operators scored a minor victory yesterday when the Hong Kong government agreed to study ways to help cut their rising fuel bills after a main oil supplier raised its petrol prices for the third time in two months.
The Economic Development and Labour Bureau said it would explore the possibility of setting up duty-free fuelling stations at border checkpoints.
'What we can say ... is that we will study the proposal with the related departments,' a bureau spokeswoman said.
The bureau was responding to calls by the Lok Ma Chau China-Hong Kong Freight Association on Tuesday for the creation of such facilities to ensure cross-border freight transport operations are not disrupted by rising fuel costs.
Last week, the same group recommended that its members charge an extra $100 per trip on shipments between Dongguan and the Kwai Chung Container Terminal.
Caltex said the pump prices of its Vortex Platinum Gasoline and Vortex Gold Gasoline had increased by 20 cents per litre to $13.79 and $13.04 respectively from midnight yesterday.
