AICTA and NSDCA finalises SOP regarding collection of handling charges by Empty Container Depots at Nhava Sheva

Following SOP has been agreed upon:

1) Handling Charges shall be accepted by all ECD Operating members through Online mode only.

2) To address the concern of the Transporters and further to facilitate trade and also to avoid complications involved in availing of GST input credit by the Consignee / Shipper / CHA / Freight Forwarder, the ECD operators agreed that they shall collect charges and issue Tax invoice towards the “Handhng charges” only to the party whose name mentioned on the Shipping Lin’s Delivery Order / Empty Offloading Letter. The Transporters shall not make any payments to the ECD, directly or indirectly. and further ECD shall not accept any payments whatsoever mode from any Transporters. The ECD shall not offload / load the empty container unless the handling charges are being received by the ECD.

3) Further to facilitate ease of doing payments directly lo the ECD operator, all Shipping lines shall mention the Bank account details of the ECD operator on their Delivery Order / Empty Offloading letters, so that the respective party can directly make payments to the respective ECD to avoid delays in container offloading / loading at member ECD.

4) ECD will survey the containers & offload only based on Shipping Lines SOP. guidelines and valid Shipping Line Empty Container Offloading / Loading letter.

5) ECD members shall implement UPI payments in future for smooth payments process.

In mutual consensus between All India Container Transport Associations and Nhava Sheva Depot Container Association, the above SOP shall come into force effective 23rd December 2024. All trade in general and in particular, Consignees / Shippers / Freight Forwarding Association and CHA Associations to take note of this and make appropriate arrangements accordingly.