Port charges to increase

Press, 21 February 1986, Page 4

Port charges to increase

The Lyttelton Harbour Board will increase its port charges on April 1. The new charges, the first increases since October 1, 1981, are virtually across the board and take in 19 different areas of the board’s operations.

The Lyttelton Harbour Board’s secretary, Mr F. S. Green, said last evening that the increases would average 12.5 per cent but would vary > with each area.

The biggest single increase would be in wharfage where cargo was taken over the wharf.

“We have had a couple of comments about the charges already but when we are looking at an overall revenue for the year of a little over $33 million, the margin on that is pretty thin,” he said.

“On that total there is very little room to

manoeuvre,” said Mr Green.

Three shipping agents using the port had little comment to make, mainly because they had not had much time to discuss the increases.

The Union Steam Ship Company offered “no comment” while Geo. H. Scales, Ltd, reported it had not had much time to analyse the increases. Mr Jim Gyde, oif the New Zealand Shipping Corporation head office in Wellington, said the corporation would respond to the Lyttelton Harbour Board “as we invariably do.”

Harbour Board charges for ships’ lines springs and fenders, licence fees, pilots, various port and berthage charges, and harbour improvement rates will increase as will services such as the graving dock, electric cranes, mobile plant, and small craft moorings.