Latest news with #RoRos
GMA Network
5 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
DTI: Logistics firms 'signified' no rate hike amid San Juanico Bridge rehab
Logistics and freight companies have committed to not increase delivery rates amid mounting transportation costs due to the ongoing repair of the San Juanico Bridge, Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque said Wednesday. 'We talked to them (logistics firms), and they already signified that they will not increase any price to move the goods from point A to point B. And they will have an aggressive approach on this,' Roque said at the sidelines of the launch of the Department of Trade and Industry's Supply Chain and Logistics Center in Makati City. The Trade chief said freight forwarders also committed to 'no price increase, while there is a problem in San Juanico Bridge.' In a chance interview with reporters, Fast Logistics CEO Manuel Onrejas Jr. said freight forwarders have seen 'double the cost for now' as their trucks cross the San Juanico Strait via roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessels while there is a weight limit for vehicles using the five-decade-old which is being repaired. 'We cannot absorb everything, we need to find ways to share the cost,' Onrejas said. 'The government should have backup plan through RoRo ferries. I think we need more RoRo ports, bigger vessels for RoRos,' he added. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has issued Proclamation No. 920, placing Eastern Visayas under a state of calamity for a year, to give way for the repairs on San Juanico Bridge. Marcos said the state of calamity took effect on June 5 and may be lifted earlier or extended depending on the circumstances. The 2.16-kilometer San Juanico Bridge, one of the longest in the Philippines, links Samar and Leyte provinces in the Visayas. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
USTR eases proposed penalties, fees for non-US LNG tankers, vehicle carriers
By Lisa Baertlein LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -The U.S. Trade Representative softened fee proposals for non-U.S.-built LNG tankers and car carriers amid its ongoing effort to counter China's dominance on the high seas and revive domestic shipbuilding. The revised proposal, unveiled by USTR on Friday, would remove LNG-related penalties for failing to export a percentage of fuel on U.S.-owned ships. It also would reduce fees when foreign-built car carriers visit domestic ports and exempt those vessels when they are serving the U.S. military. USTR previously exempted ships carrying U.S. exports as well as operators of smaller ships from port fees originally aimed at China-linked vessels. The agency also exempted vessels that service the Great Lakes, Caribbean and U.S. territories. "This is a step in the right direction, and we look forward to working with USTR on a solution that ensures U.S. LNG remains competitive on the global stage," Rob Jennings, vice president of natural gas markets for the American Petroleum Institute, said on Monday. USTR caught the liquified natural gas industry off guard in April with new rules for outbound shipments of that fuel, sparking an outcry. It also surprised the vehicle carrier industry with a plan to impose port fees on all non-U.S.-built vessels in that segment - including U.S.-flagged and U.S.-crewed ships admitted to the U.S. Maritime Security Program (MSP) that supports Washington's military readiness. USTR on Friday removed language saying it could suspend LNG export licenses until its rules for moving a percentage of outgoing shipments on U.S.-built and operated vessels were met. On April 17, USTR said LNG producers would have to transport 1% of their exports on U.S.-built ships starting in April 2029. That percentage would escalate to 15% in April 2047 and beyond. The World Shipping Council, whose members vehicle carriers such as Norway's Wallenius Wilhelmsen, did not immediately comment on the revisions. The vehicle carrier fee effective October 14 was to be $150 per car capacity of a non-U.S.-built ship known as roll-on/roll-offs, or RoRos. Typical RoRos have capacity to carry nearly 5,000 vehicles. In the revision, USTR lowered that fee to $14 per net ton. It also exempted vessels in the MSP, as well as U.S. government cargo - matching previous exemptions made for other vessel segments. Companies with ships in the MSP include Florida-based American Roll-On, Roll-Off Carrier Group, a U.S.-flag operator of vehicle carriers that is part of Wallenius Wilhelmsen Group, which did not immediately comment. The RoRo fees come on top of steep, 25% fees on auto imports imposed by Trump. These affect mainly European vehicles. U.S. exporters also use RoRos to export U.S.-made BMW SUVs, John Deere tractors and other goods. Shipping industry groups and attorneys have said USTR overreached by levying fees on RoRos made in countries that were not part of the Biden administration's fast-track investigation into China. The USTR's revisions continued to reference "non-U.S. built" vehicle carriers. Interested parties, which were not previously given the opportunity to comment on rules for RoRos or LNG tankers, have until July 7 to submit feedback on the revisions. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
GMA Network
25-05-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
Eastern Samar gov appeals for transport subsidies amid San Juanico Bridge repair
Citing price increases, Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone on Sunday appealed to the national government to subsidize the cost of transporting consumer goods to his province amid the current load limit on the San Juanico Bridge. During an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Evardone made the appeal to avoid an increase in the cost of goods coming to Eastern Samar. 'Ang panukala ko, pumasok na ang national government. I-subsidize 'yung mga cost ng transportation ng goods para hindi tumaas,' Evardone said. ''Yung ikakargang mga produkto at supply sa mga RoRo, sagutin dapat ng national government [ang transportation cost] para hindi tumaas ang presyo [ng mga produkto],' he added. (The national government should intervene and subsidize the cost of transportation of goods to avoid an increase in prices. The national government should shoulder the transportation cost of products and supplies delivered via roll-on/roll-off cargo ships.) The three-ton load limit on the San Juanico Bridge was implemented after a recent assessment raised concerns on the structural integrity of the 52-year old 2.164-kilometer long structure that connects the islands of Samar and Leyte. Evardone said the Department of Trade and Industry assessed that prices in the area are still normal. However, the governor said that it might not be the case come the next inventory. He added the supply of petroleum products is also affected by the situation. 'May mga bumibiyahe [nagdadala ng mga supply at produkto] mula Tacloban papuntang Catbalogan at Calbayog ports. Ang problema sa Eastern Samar, ang layo sa amin ng Calbayog, mga seven to eight hours, at Catbalogan, mga four to five hours, so additional cost din talaga 'yan,' Evardone said. (There are products being transported from Tacloban to the ports of Catbalogan and Calbayabog. However, it is far away from Eastern Samar. Calbayog takes about seven to eight hours, while Catbalogan takes about four to five hours, so there are additional costs.) 'Ang pinangangambahan namin, dahil paubos na ang old stock ng consumer products, 'yung mga darating na bago, siguradong magtataas ang presyo niyan kung hindi maaagapan nang intervention ng national government,' he added. (We're worried about the price increase of the incoming supplies since the old stocks of consumer products have almost been consumed. It will become costly if the national government does not intervene.) Evardone also suggested that RoRos should go straight to Eastern Samar since it also has ports in the municipalities of Borongan and Guiuan. Earlier this week, the Province of Samar was placed under a state of emergency. Meanwhile, the Office of Civil Defense Eastern Visayas and the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council are on blue alert following the enforcement of the vehicle weight limit. —RF, GMA Integrated News
