Non-payment of fine: Liberian vessel with RMG exports barred from leaving Ctg port

A Liberian-flagged vessel with RMG export products destined for Europe and the United States via Sri Lanka has been stuck at Chattogram port for two days due to non-payment of fines, said officials.

The vessel, X press Lhotse, was scheduled to leave for Colombo port at 3:30pm on Wednesday (15 May) with 1,450 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) containers of export goods from Chattogram port.

However, the vessel has been barred from leaving the port as it failed to pay Tk72.25 lakh in fines imposed by the Mercantile Marine Office, Chattogram, for not complying with rules at various times.

The office said the vessel earlier transported goods from Chattogram port without obtaining a waiver certificate in violation of the Bangladesh Flag Vessels, (Protection of Interests) Act. Its shipping agent, Sea Consortium, was also fined several times in this regard.

The ship is currently at the outer anchorage of Chattogram port. It was scheduled to reach Sri Lanka's Colombo port on 19 May. From Colombo, the containers will be loaded on the mother vessel en route to Europe and America.

Around 90% of the goods on board are ready-made garments, according to the shipping agent.

Captain Sabbir Mahmud, principal officer of the Mercantile Marine Office, told The Business Standard that the shipping agent of the vessel was warned several times about their irregularities. The agent was also fined for not complying with the Bangladesh Flag Vessels (Protection of Interest) Act.

"Due to non-payment of fines and irregularities, X press Lhotse has been detained this time," he added.

According to the Bangladesh Flag Vessels (Protection of Interests) Act, 2019, 50% of the total goods transported by ships are mandatory to be carried on the country's ships. However, subject to non-availability of space on domestic vessels, foreign shipping agents are required to obtain compulsory clearance for carrying the rest of the goods as per the provisions of law.

However, Captain AS Chowdhury, executive director of Sea Consortium Bangladesh, shipping agent of X press Lhotse, termed imposition of the fines by the Mercantile Marine Office "unjust".

"Detaining the ship after loading export goods is an injustice. The company will soon take legal action in this regard if the ship is not allowed to leave Chattogram port," he added.

With the ship being stranded at the port, the daily rental expenses have reached around $20,000 in demurrage fees, he further said.

The shipping lines carrying goods on the vessel said any delay in delivering the export products to their clients would lead to a substantial financial loss.

Preferring anonymity, an official of the shipping line Maersk told TBS that they have 500 TEU containers on board X press Lhotse, of which 80% are ready-made garments. 

"The export products are destined for Europe and America. We are very concerned because the ship is stuck. If there is a delay in the delivery, we will face financial loss," he said.

Rakibul Alam Chowdhury, vice president of the BGMEA, told TBS, "Most of the products loaded on X press Lhotse are RMG export goods. If the consignments do not reach the buyers on time, the garment owners will face losses. We want the problem to be solved as soon as possible."