HK shippers outraged at HIT's US$1,280 fee to spring Hanjin boxes

HK shippers outraged at HIT's US$1,280 fee to spring Hanjin boxes THE Hong Kong Shipper Council (HKSC) and the Hongkong Association of Freight Forwarding and Logistics Limited (HAFFA) are "outraged" about them extortionate" charges being levied that are taking advanage of the Hanjin Shipping collapse. Terminal operators have been exacting high charges to release Hanjin containers to consignees, said the HKSC, which said it is considering legal action. "This arrangement is not acceptable cargoes belong to shippers, the beneficial cargo owners are not shipping lines," said HKSC in a press release. "Therefore, terminal operators cannot have a lien over cargoes, they have no right to withhold containers and ask shippers to pay what are owed to them by the shipping lines," it said. Hutchison's Hongkong International Terminals (HIT) is charging a US$1,280 security deposit on all Hanjin containers handled, it said. HKSC urged shippers who are having problems to seek legal advice "without delay to minismise the undesirable consequences" and added that it is also seeking legal advice on how to force terminal operators in Hong Kong to withdraw unreasonable container release charges Said HAFFA chairman Cliff Sullivan: ¡§The situation has been so badly mismanaged by some terminal operators, that it could have a potentially devastating impact upon many of our members with these unreasonable charges."  Hutchison was told to stop levying such charges by a Dutch court in Rotterdam last week, but it did allow its European Container Terminal to exact a EUR25 (US$28) per box surcharge,