Accrued due to transporters’ strike: Business community for waiving demurrage, detention charges

KARACHI: Business Community has urged federal intervention to waive demurrage, detention charges accrued during ten days transporters’ strike.

The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has formally requested the Ministry of Maritime Affairs to urgently intervene and direct shipping lines, terminal operators, and port authorities to waive, suspend, or substantially reduce demurrage and detention charges for consignments that remained stuck at ports solely due to the nationwide goods transporters’ strike from 8th to 17th December 2025.

In a letter sent to Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, Chairman Businessmen Group Zubair Motiwala and President KCCI Rehan Hanif highlighted an extraordinary situation due to transporters strike that caused severe financial distress to the trading and industrial community.The strike resulted in a near-complete suspension of cargo movement to and from Karachi Port, Port Qasim, and associated terminals. During this period, import and export consignments remained immobilized at ports and terminals through no fault of the consignees or shippers, leading to the accumulation of heavy demurrage and container detention charges on a daily basis. They said that the prolonged disruption had a crippling impact on supply chains, production cycles, and export commitments.

Exporters faced shipment delays, order cancellations, and loss of credibility with international buyers, while importers were unable to clear raw materials and essential inputs required for industrial operations.

The demurrage and detention charges imposed during this forced stoppage have become an unbearable financial burden, particularly for small and medium enterprises, and threaten to erode already thin margins in an environment characterized by high energy costs, elevated interest rates, and overall cost pressures, they added.

Chairman BMG and President KCCI mentioned that throughout the duration of the strike, KCCI, as the largest chamber of commerce in Pakistan, remained fully engaged in efforts to resolve the crisis.

They actively mediated between goods transporters, port stakeholders, and relevant authorities, repeatedly cautioning that the continued paralysis of cargo movement amounted to economic sabotage and would inflict long-term damage on national trade and exports.

KCCI’s consistent engagement and advocacy played an important role in facilitating dialogue and restoring normal operations; however, the financial consequences of the disruption continue to persist in the form of accrued demurrage and detention liabilities.

They urged the Ministry of Maritime Affairs to intervene immediately and direct shipping lines, terminal operators, and port authorities to waive, suspend, or substantially reduce demurrage and detention charges for consignments that remained stuck at ports solely due to the transporters’ strike.

They also requested that extraordinary facilitation measures be undertaken to ensure swift clearance of the backlog of containers so that trade flows may return to normal without additional financial strain on the business community.

They firmly believe that timely intervention will not only mitigate the immediate losses suffered by the business community but will also reinforce confidence in the government’s commitment to safeguarding trade and industry during unforeseen crises.

Meanwhile the SITE Association of Industry has called on the federal government to waive the demurrage and detention charges imposed on consignments delayed at ports due to the recent strike by goods transporters, warning that the additional financial burden could further hinder industrial activity. SITE Association President Ahmed Azeem Alvi expressed relief over the conclusion of the strike but highlighted the severe impact it had on the movement of goods at Karachi Port and Port Qasim. He stated that the strike had brought cargo operations to a complete standstill, leaving export and import consignments stranded for days.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025