MaryAnn Q. Lizama, manager/harbor master for the Saipan Seaport, said the rates set in 2009 are still enough to enable CPA to pay its bond indentures.
“We have no plans as of now to increase our tariff fees because we know that everybody is having a hard time,” Lizama told the Variety.
In 2008, CPA’s debt service ratio fell from the standard 1.25 to .843 prompting the agency to hire a consultant who recommended that its seaport fees should be increased to enable it to raise enough money to pay its then-$35 million revenue bond indentures.
In May 2009, CPA raised its wharfage rates to $11.40 per revenue ton.
Since then, cargo for liquid petroleum products like gasoline, diesel, bunkers, among others, that are off-loaded or onloaded by pipeline is charged $8.55 per revenue ton.
Additionally, CPA charges a wharfage rate of $2.38 per revenue ton for cargo which is just passing by the CNMI.
All vessels, except military and government-owned, also pay a port entry fee based on their tonnage.
Vessels of 1,000 registered gross tons and under are charged $220.40 port entry fee while vessels weighing above 1,000 gross tons pay $438.90.
Each additional 2,000 gross tons are charged an additional $220.40.
The dockage charges are adjusted based on the vessel’s overall length.
More than 26 million revenue tons of cargo made up of construction materials, food items, vehicles, beverages, tobacco, heavy equipment, clothing, cement, among other shipments, passed the Saipan seaport in April 2011.
