Panama Canal hikes fees for ancillary services

Panama Canal hikes fees for ancillary services The Panama Canal Authority on Friday announced revised fees for tug, locomotive and line-handling services due to rising operating costs brought about by fuel hikes.
   Rates for tug services will increase 8 percent while rates for line-handling services will rise 7 percent. A $300-per-wire fee will be charged for ancillary locomotive services, up from a $200-per-wire fee (wires are attached to the locomotives to ensure that the vessels stay centered as they transit through the locks).
   The new fees go into effect March 1.
   The decision, made by the Republic of Panama's Cabinet Council, comes as the canal has made $1.3 billion in investments in these areas over the past eight years.
   “The money from the adjusted fees will help the canal to continually invest in these critical areas,” the authority said in a statement.
   Also, fees regarding visibility requirements on container vessels will also increase.
   “Additional costs are incurred when a vessel notifies the canal less than 48 hours prior to its arrival that it intends to load exceeding canal standards,” the authority said. “Vessels that exceed ACP visibility requirements will now apply a rate of $4,000 when the information is submitted at least 48 hours prior to its arrival and a rate of $8,000 when the information is provided less than 48 hours prior to its arrival. New nominal fees related to other marine services which have not been updated for years, such as admeasurement, transit vessel inspection, safety and security, launches and Automatic Identification System rentals, will increase 7 percent on average.”