BEIJING, Dec. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Maersk, the world's leading container shipping operator, was questioned by Chinese trailer associations about its "unreasonable fees" charged to Chinese trailer companies at the Boao Forum for Asia World Logistics Conference Shenzhen on Saturday.

    In the past three months, Maersk raised a series of fees such as the lead sealing fee and unpackaging fee. The lead sealing fee, for instance, increased from 10 yuan (US$1.2) to 45 yuan.

    China's international trading mainly adopts the FOB (Free on Board) payment, which means foreign buyers chose the shipping company and pay the fee. So Chinese trailer companies are in a passive position with no alternatives to choose from. "On the surface, the higher lead sealing fee only adds to the burden of the goods owner, but in fact it increases the logistics cost and diminishes Chinese products' competitive advantage in the international market," said Cai Yuanyou, assistant secretary of Xiamen Container Trailer Transportation Association.

    Xu Xiaoming, assistant secretary of Shenzhen Container Trailer Transportation Association, said that Maersk charged trailer companies as high as 30 yuan simply to change a bill, which makes survival for the already low margin firms even harder.

    Asked whether Maersk should consider canceling the extra fees, senior vice president and chief commercial officer of Maersk Sealand, shifted to review China's marine transportation achievement in the past 20 years. He also said a negotiation could be held after the forum to find a solution.

    During a break, Jens Eskelund, Area public relations and government relations manager of Maersk Greater China Area, gave an explanation that the pricing of shipping fee is a commercial behavior worldwide, which is not targeted at a particular nation. He attributed the fee increase to the rising cost of security checks in the United States.

(Shenzhen Daily)