The Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises, the GRTU, has warned the government not to try to raise “already high” port charges by stealth and called for effective measures to lower them.
According to the GRTU, new port workers’ tariffs were introduced recently by Valletta Gateway Terminal – the private operator of the Valletta port – following the approval of the government and Transport Malta.
“Although when we protested we were told there was no increase because these were tariffs already in existence but never implemented, it seems the government is now trying to find ways to introduce additional costs through the backdoor,” a GRTU spokesman said.
Following protests by the GRTU last year, new tariffs that had already been approved by the government were put on hold pending the outcome of talks. There have been no increases since. However, according to the GRTU, the operators announced recently they would be applying some tariffs.
“Although the costs involved are insignificant, we are interpreting this move as a creative way of trying to find new avenues to increase port charges. This is not on; we will keep insisting that port charges should be lowered and not raised,” the spokesman said.
Asked about the issue, Transport Malta denied there was any increase in port tariffs. A spokesman said: “There are no new charges and there is no increase in the present port or port worker-related tariffs.”
Referring to a notice issued by the port operators recently, which angered the GRTU, the spokesman said it was only intended to remind clients of certain applicable miscellaneous charges relating to fees payable to port workers.
Asked about the state of the talks on the new tarrifs that were put on hold last September, Transport Malta declined to comment.
The GRTU has been campaigning on lower port charges for a long time. It said that while a port reform carried out almost a decade ago was intended to lower charges, no changes in tariffs had been implemented so far.
Malta’s port and container transport charges are considered to be among the highest in the EU.