Stalemate as 30 hauliers rally against 'unfair' levy to fund HCT handling equipment
      
Truckers are fighting a proposal from Hull Container Terminal (HCT) to levy a £5 (US$9.30) per box gate fee on hauliers entering the facility.
 
A group of 30 hauliers, led by AR Lunn Transport, said they were "unanimous" in their stand against an "unfair" charge and refused to pay it.
 
HCT operator PD Ports said the fee was to fund new handling equipment, but hauliers argued that they were under no obligation to bear the cost.
 
Andrew Lunn, MD of AR Lunn Transport said: "Ultimately, they have under-priced, overspent and are asking us to pay the difference. We are not prepared to."
 
PD announced the plans six months ago at a quarterly meeting with hauliers, Lunn added: "There was no discussion, they were just going to implement this £5 gate charge and that was it, end of story." He claimed PD Ports repeatedly ignored their concerns, "We are at a stalemate: they are adamant they are bringing in the charge; we are adamant we are not paying it.
 
"As a compromise, we would consider a VBS [vehicle booking system] like the one in place at Southampton, Tilbury and at Felixstowe." However, he added that he felt this had been ignored.
 
Bulmers Logistics is also a regular HCT user and commercial director Andy SpenceWolrich said: "This year has been particularly difficult for the haulage industry, and margins are small, at best. Put simply, there is no pot from which to pay a gate charge, and we are not willing to pay it.

"We do not understand why HCT is looking to the port user to contribute financially, when we are at the end of the food chain - those least able to recover this cost from our customers." Margaret Edmunds, Yorkshire area manager for the Road Haulage Association, said the handling equipment purchases had "nothing to do with hauliers and will not benefit hauliers in any way.
 
"They tried to get shippers to pay and were told to ’go away’. So they thought the next in line would be hauliers."
 
PD Ports said: "The minimal charge at HCT will allow for strategic handling equipment upgrades that will directly result in quicker and better turnarounds.
 
"This will mean less time will be spent at HCT by the hauliers. Hauliers will see greater turnaround efficiencies, allowing them to make more calls per day." However, the move appears to be a first in the UK, and one industry source told IFW: "There are sometimes specific charges related to terminals investing in infrastructure links outside its boundaries, but not to fund equipment - that is financed through box handling fees charged to shipping lines; hauliers don’t pay to access terminals."
 
Source IFW