Pakistan Customs enforces official bank rates, ends arbitrary shipping charges

Effectively ending the long-standing practice of arbitrary and excessive billing by international shipping lines, the customs achieved a historic and industry-wide breakthrough, ensuring the application of official bank exchange rates for shipping charges.

The All-Pakistan Shipping Association (APSA), through a formal communication on 12 January 2026, confirmed that all member shipping lines will charge shipping fees strictly based on exchange rates provided by their respective authorised commercial banks, in accordance with State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) regulations, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) said.

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“This decisive development follows sustained engagement by a high-level committee constituted by Pakistan Customs, which held extensive consultations with shipping agents, terminal operators, trade bodies, and international shipping lines,” said the federal tax-collecting authority.

Maersk—the largest shipping line operating in Pakistan and handling nearly 26% of the country’s total cargo—began applying official bank exchange rates, setting a benchmark for the rest of the industry.

Written confirmations of compliance have been received from major international shipping lines and their local agents, including Hapag-Lloyd, Ocean Network Express (ONE), COSCO Shipping, CMA CGM, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), OOCL, and United Marine Agencies, among others, establishing full industry-wide adherence to SBP-compliant exchange rates, the statement said.

For several years, traders and exporters had raised serious concerns regarding the arbitrary application of inflated dollar exchange rates by shipping lines, often far exceeding SBP-notified rates.

The FBR said that this practice significantly increased the cost of doing business, adversely impacted export competitiveness, and created uncertainty in shipping charges.

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“The initiative is expected to substantially reduce cost pressures on traders and exporters, improve transparency and predictability in shipping charges, and restore confidence within the business community.

This achievement underscores FBR’s firm commitment to safeguarding legitimate trade, promoting ease of doing business, and supporting Pakistan’s export-led economic growth through effective regulatory oversight and stakeholder engagement.”