Bangkok, Thailand-The goal of this manifesto is to describe a minimal level of service and fair treatment that shippers can expect in maritime container transport. It works as a benchmark to assess services offered and delivered by carriers. It can be seen as a suggestion for a Bill of Cargo Rights.
Background
The crisis in global supply chains already exists for a considerable time. Disruptions are most visible in the maritime container transport. Legislation allowing monopolist tendencies in the market (like the Block Exemption Regulation in Europe) is an important cause of the present bad market situation. Competition, an important driver for an acceptable service level, is to a great deal limited in the present maritime transport markets. Especially, small and medium sized shippers suffer a lot from this situation.
The Manifesto
-Contracts terms should be fair and balanced between carrier and shipper. They should be respected by both parties.
-Reliability of the sailing schedules is the essence of the containers maritime transport. Sharing data on forecasts of carrier’s capacity and shipper’s demand in a transparent way should be implemented.
-Any kind of deviation in the service calls should be accurately and swiftly reported to the shipper.
-Consequences to carrier of no shows by shipper and consequences to shipper of roll-overs by carrier, beyond agreed tolerance, should be considered and proportionately compensated.
-Imposition of surcharges by carrier should be limited to unforeseeable temporary external events beyond carriers’ control. Duplication of surcharges billing by carriers, i.e. charging to shippers costs either already included in rates or also invoiced to third parties, should be prohibited.
-Detention and demurrage should be appropriately evidenced by carrier and, in particular, should not be applied when sailing out of schedules exceeds a reasonable delay time.
-Quality of empty containers delivered by carrier should be compliant with standards and meet the requirements of shippers.
-Trustable carbon footprint information and digital documentation according to DCSA standards should be provided as far as achievable by carrier.
