Tinian Shipping agreed yesterday to cooperate with the Commonwealth Ports Authority in its decision to directly collect fees from ferry passengers.
Tinian Shipping and CPA officials have met to iron out issues surrounding the passenger fee collection.
“Tinian Shipping agrees with our decision. They said they will cooperate and work harmoniously with us to ensure a smooth implementation of the plan,” Port of Saipan Manager Antonio B. Cabrera said.
After midnight on Wednesday, CPA will begin to collect $2.25 “from any person who wishes to board any of the vessels operated by the shipping company.”
“June 6 is the day we’ll start the collection,” Cabrera said.
He said a CPA personnel will be stationed at the seaport to do the collection.
“Let me remind the passengers that they need to go to CPA first before they go to the ticketing office,” Cabrera said.
A CPA receipt will be issued to passengers and will be presented to the ticketing office.
According to Cabrera, CPA will look into recommendations to exempt certain people such as tour guides or travel managers from the fee.
“CPA has yet to decide on that. As far as the regulation is concerned every passenger needs to pay a fee,” he said.
Only the crew and the company owner are exempted from the fee, he added.
Earlier, the CPA board decided to directly collect from the passengers due to Tinian Shipping’s failure to remit the fees to CPA.
“From day one, CPA is not getting it,” Cabrera said.
The company reportedly owes CPA over $1 million in unpaid passenger fees.
Tinian Shipping operates Tinian Express and Saipan Express which were recently seized by the U.S. Marshals upon the order of the district court. Tinian Shipping was sued by a Hong Kong company over unpaid debts.
Tinian Express, which regularly transports passengers between Saipan and Tinian, resumed its operation after the court released it from custody.
