Court stays application of new stevedoring charges

THE Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC) has temporarily suspended the implementation of its final determination of the stevedoring and handling services pricing review.
The work was completed last Dec 5, but recommendations had now been put on hold.
Commissioner and chief executive officer Paulus Ain said the suspension had resulted from a Dec 21 National Court stay order obtained by ICTSI South Pacific Limited (ISPL) and its subsidiaries South Pacific International Container Terminal Limited and Motukea International Terminal Limited against the ICCC.
The court order had effectively prevented the implementation of the determinations as set out in National Gazette No.G595 of 2023.
The order had also allowed ISPL and its affiliates to challenge the stevedoring and handling services pricing review process and the contents of the gazetted G595 of 2023 notice, and the newly-determined services tariffs for implementation in 2024 and beyond.
Explaining further, Ain said the stay order had prevented the imposition of the reduced tariff rates at both the Motukea International Terminal and the South Pacific International Container Terminal.
“Essentially, last year’s tariff rates will continue to apply pending the determination of the court proceedings.
“The ICCC has concluded the pricing review into the stevedoring and handling services under the Prices Regulation Act chapter 320 (amended) through a transparent public consultation process, and has published the final determinations in the National Gazette No.G595 of 2023,” Ain said.
“The ICCC urges its stakeholders and the public to adhere to the court orders” until the matter was fully heard and a ruling made in court.