HÀ NỘI – Deputy Prime Minister Vương Đình Huệ has asked Hải Phòng City to revise fees for using infrastructure, service facilities and public utilities at ports in the city.

Adjustments in fees are needed to ensure they are reasonable and comply with the law and create favourable conditions for import and export firms, as per Government resolutions on improving the business climate.

In December, the municipal People’s Committee issued a resolution which took effect from the beginning of this year regulating fees for construction, infrastructure, service buildings and public utilities at ports.

Under the resolution, individuals and organisations that have shipments stored at bonded warehouses must pay from VNĐ2.2million (US$97) to VNĐ4.8million ($220) per container, an increase of nearly 70 per cent from the previous fee.

While municipal authorities said that the fees were applied as per regulations, firms said that they were unreasonably high and undermined their competitiveness.

Huệ said that the Hải Phòng People’s Committee must listen to firms and revise its fees at its next meeting.

Huệ also asked the finance ministry to inspect the issuance of fees by local authorities to ensure compliance with laws and regulations.

Hải Phòng Port is the second largest port in Việt Nam with one third of total cargo running through it.

In 2017, Hải Phòng planned to collect VNĐ1.5 trillion from seaport fees but it was estimated that the northern city has collected at least VNĐ2.3 trillion already from the beginning of this year. - VNS