By Xu Yingjie & Shi Ying, Research Team on “Business Environment Improvement”, Enterprise Research Institute, DRC

Research Report, No.154, 2021 (Total 6219) 2021-6-11

Abstract: Although China’s customs clearance fees have dropped to a low level, there is still much room for improving the charging scheme of ports before and after customs clearance. According to feedback of domestic import and export enterprises, more efforts are required to address prominent problems through further reducing charging items, improving transparency and cutting costs during the use of containers. The charges mainly include deposits for container use as well as the charges on returning and picking-up empty containers from the yards during import and export, which see much room of optimization according to research findings. Market competitions in the use of port containers are insufficient as shipping companies and yards operators have the upper hand. The burden of import and export enterprises also needs to be reduced through improving government supervision, regulating the charging procedures and cutting relevant items. The authorities are supposed to accelerate and refine the improvement of the charging and fee calculation rules of ports, regulate the charging on the use of containers and cut items by focusing on reducing deposit fees of containers and fees for returning and picking-up empty containers.

Keywords: charging of sea ports, burden of enterprises, the use of containers