AUTHORITIES in China are planning to introduce for the first time a port construction charge on terminal operators based at the thriving southern port city of Shenzhen.

A report by Bloomberg said that the Ministry of Communication will levy a fee on containers of CNY120 (US$14) per FEU and CNY80 per TEU, citing Cheyenne Yu, CEO of Shekou Container Terminals Ltd in Shenzhen, who claimed that the charges will be passed on to shipping companies calling at the container ports in Shenzhen.

Mr Yu was quoted as saying that new construction fees will rake in at least CNY500 million in revenues each year.

The charges are intended to go towards expanding terminal facilities to relieve chronic cargo congestion at the ports which Bloomberg said had created bottlenecks at container terminals.

Other media reports claimed the fees will be effective from October 1, but will not effect transshipment cargo.