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New harbor fees lift seaport revenues By ALDWIN R. FAJARDO
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Posted on Jan 31 2000
Revenues generated by the marine division of the Commonwealth Ports Authority jumped by 20 percent in November 1999 compared with the previous year record, as a result of the new schedule of harbor fees implemented last year.
CPA’s seaport operations generated $339,646, up from the previous year tally of $285,000, according to a financial report presented during the CPA Board of Directors meeting in Rota Friday.
Ports Authority Board Chair Roman S. Palacios said the increase was primarily fueled by the implementation of the new seaport fee schedule in July last year.
CPA started implementing the new schedule of fees for fuel flowage and ground handling permit last July 1, 1999, akin to the collection of new seaport fees and the airport public parking fee.
The fuel flowage fee increased to $0.025 per gallon beginning July 1. Based on the amended schedule of airport fees and charges, the fuel flowage fee shall be paid upon the delivery of aviation gasoline and jet fuel to the airport.
At the same time, CPA raised the ground handling permit fee from $5,000 per calendar quarter to $10,000 effective Thursday last week.
CPA is hoping to generate more than $6 million in additional revenues from its decision to increase airport and harbor fees while cutting down operational costs, including a 10 percent across the board reduction in employees’ wages.
As a result of the new seaport rates, CPA collection from wharfage fees increased by 15 percent; entry fee was up by 30 percent; home port fee jumped by 25 percent; and special services shot up by 57 percent.
Non-harbor revenues also increased with collection from land lease contracts jumping by 33 percent, warehouse rental by 13 percent and other labor by 54 percent.
Its bond indenture forced CPA to announce the increase in landing fees and departure facility charge per passenger, as well as wharfage rates, before March 1999 to arrest any possible increase in the $53 million bond floated in 1998.
