Three shippers' organisations in the southern China region have issued a joint statement to "strongly voice their displeasure" over plans by Hong Kong-based global container shipping line OOCL (Orient Overseas Container Line) to impose a new CNY25/HK$25 charge per container seal, called the Seal Charge, effective May 13.

The Hong Kong Shippers' Council, the Macau Shippers' Association and the Shenzhen Shippers' Association claimed they were being singled out since the announcement for the charge mentioned only exports from south China, including Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Macau.

"To impose a Seal Charge from out of the blue is unconscionable of OOCL," claimed Tolan Lam, Chairman of the Shenzhen Shippers' Association. "But what is worse is to come up with such an unjustified charge at a time like this."

"The seal is part of the container that the shipping line agrees to transport and for which we pay freight charges. To start charging for the seal at this point in time makes no sense at all."

The three shippers' associations argued that the charge was discriminatory since it was not being imposed in other parts of China.

"Shippers in the region have been burdened with THC that is four to five times higher than other regions in China, such as the Yangtze Jiang and Bohai regions which have similar shipping activities," said Frank Tang, Chairman of the Macau Shippers' Association.