The northern port city of Hai Phong will consider reducing seaport infrastructure fees for watercraft by 50 per cent at the upcoming city council meeting.

According to the draft amending Resolution No 148/2016/NQ-HDND dated December 13, 2016 of the People's Council of Hai Phong City on seaport infrastructure fees, the fee for imported and exported goods entering and leaving by inland waterway transport in the city will be cut by 50 per cent.

The draft will be considered and approved by the city’s People's Council at the upcoming ninth session of the 16th term, taking effect from January 1 next year. The City People's Committee is to direct related departments, branches and agencies and units in the implementation of the resolution.

According to the Viet Nam Inland Waterways Administration, associations and businesses, there are currently two localities nationwide that collect seaport infrastructure fees for goods imported, exported and transited through seaports.

Hai Phong applied them from 2017, and HCM City applied them from April 1 this year.

Businesses and associations have repeatedly suggested that the collection of seaport infrastructure fees for goods transported by inland waterways was unreasonable and not to the right subjects.

At the same time, it increases the burden on businesses, and creates a situation of "charges on top of fees", reducing the competitiveness of water transport enterprises.

Faced the above problem, the Ministry of Transport has written to the People's Council and People's Committee of Hai Phong and HCM City to consider recommendations of associations and businesses on the exemption and reduction of seaport infrastructure fees for goods transited and transshipped by inland waterway.

In HCM City, after three months of implementation, the resolution of the municipal People's Council decided to offer free services to and reduce fees for goods transported by inland waterways and businesses that do declarations outside the territory of HCM City from August 1 this year. — VNS