Translated for Maersk: As linear container operators rob Russian citizens

Russian text here https://www.infranews.ru/?object=news&id=10450&catid=3   A well informed expert currently not involved in container business, and therefore unbiased, has pointed to the uncommon attitude linear operators demonstrate in Russian ports. He also offered his calculation which we elaborated as basing on the current data.   Here are the figures and facts   Maersk Line. Five container ships serving the port of St.Petersburg, three of them have the capacity of 1678 TEU, GT 17189.   As of December 1, 2010 according to the corporate website, increased winter surcharge to $100 per.   First Container Terminal (the largest container terminal, yet in fact can be any other Russian terminal). Average rate is  1475 TEU per vessel (based on the statistics as of November 2010). Maersk vessels are the second largest calling St.Petersburg after CMA CGM’s two vessels of  1730 TEU capacity (CMA CGM also charge winter surcharge).Thus, the average figure is quite fair or even understating for the operator.   Consequently, as of December 1 Maersk Line earns extra $ 147,500 per call, which is not less than a million dollars a month.   Are there any such expenditures which increase costs that much? – winter ice port fee. According to Maersk communications the fee is very high, so high that it is to be reduced, otherwise the operations are impossible.   InfraNews Agency made a research on Port Fees in Russia and Neighbor States in 2009, and updated it in 2010. The research states that port fees in Russia are lower than those of the neighbor states.   As to containerships calling St.Petersburg, the difference in costs per call in winter and in summer is as follows: Total fees – 67,92 eurocents per GT in summer And 93,5 eurocents per GT in winter All taxes and fees are included.

Thus the cost of call of an average vessel 1,678 TEU capacity would be 11,675 euros in summer ($ 15.3 thousand  given the current exchange rate of 1.3115 dollars per euro), and 16,071 euros ($ 21.08 thousand) in winter. The difference in the cost of call in winter and in summer thus amounts to $ 5,765.

Additional revenue of linear operator in winter is over $ 140 thousand per vessel call. At that the income is unearned, received on operations within Russia, yet taxable in Denmark.   What are the conclusion? here are two   1.     Rosmorport should tightly bind the surcharges operators introduce with the actual increase of port fees in winter. Either the operators charge their customers only the actual expenses or enter the Russian taxation zone and pay taxes on unearned income at the gross rate of 35%. 2.     Antitrust Service and the Federal Tax Service should force linear agents pay taxes on the additional revenue, despite the treaty with Denmark on avoidance of double taxation as of 1996. Mostly containerships are registered under flags of convenience, and the configuration of Maersk offices, their subordination structure is constantly changing and inherently offshore activities fall neither under Russian nor under Danish law.   You may ask, why Maersk? It is the largest. And the subject of Russian supposedly high fees, terrible winter and the disastrous administrative barriers is the subject which is being constantly pedaled by Danish officials and managers. Still the ratio of winter fees charged by Rosmorport and surcharges charged by various lines in Russian terminals and ports is same for all.    InfraNews