Industry players cheered the new tariff guidelines for major ports in the country issued by the union shipping ministry.
Some major port authorities feel that the new guidelines is an improvement as the market transitions have been taken into consideration. Unlike the earlier norms, the new ones are more flexible and takes into account market conditions, industry players opined.
It is argued that the new guidelines allow flexibility to promoters of new port terminals to fix the tariff. Some industry players opine that the users of the port should have been consulted and they should have had a say in defining tariffs charged by ports.
The tariff should be drawn based on the opinion of all stakeholders including exporters and importers. Business at a port should be done keeping in mind the interest of the trade, especially as international trade was extremely competitive.