Port Charges
The Ports Authority of the Velocity Interoperability Network sets and collects the charges payable for the use of its ports and terminals: port dues on every vessel that enters port limits, pilotage and towage on every movement for which they are provided, handling charges on the cargo worked across the quay, storage charges on cargo that remains beyond its free period, and the other charges set out below. The schedule on this page is the whole of the Authority's tariff. No other charge is made for the use of the ports.
All sums are expressed in credits. The schedule takes effect on Monday 7 September 2026 and remains in force to 31 December 2026, and replaces the interim charges under which the ports operated during the transition period. The schedule for 2027 will be published in November 2026 and announced in the Newsroom.
Schedule in force from 7 September to 31 December 2026
- 400
- Credits, the minimum port dues charged on a vessel call
- 120
- Credits, the flat charge on coastal and inland craft under 500 gross tonnes
- 3
- Working days after departure within which charges are invoiced
- 30
- Days from the date of invoice within which charges are payable
Port dues. Port dues are charged on each call at the rate per gross tonne shown below, subject to the minimum charge for the category. Gross tonnage is that recorded on the vessel's tonnage certificate. A vessel calling at more than one port of the Network on the same voyage pays dues once, at the rate for the first port entered. A vessel entering port limits and leaving without berthing pays half the dues that would otherwise be charged.
| Vessel category | Rate per gross tonne | Minimum charge | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Container vessel | 0.42 | 400 | Per gross tonne, each call |
| Dry bulk carrier | 0.36 | 400 | Per gross tonne, each call |
| Tanker and liquid bulk carrier | 0.48 | 600 | Per gross tonne, each call |
| General cargo and project cargo vessel | 0.38 | 400 | Per gross tonne, each call |
| Roll-on roll-off vessel | 0.34 | 400 | Per gross tonne, each call |
| Passenger and ferry vessel on a scheduled service | 0.22 | 250 | Per gross tonne, each call |
| Coastal or inland craft under 500 gross tonnes | Not applicable | 120 | Flat charge, each call |
| Vessel entering for shelter or repair only | 0.18 | 200 | Per gross tonne, each call |
Pilotage. Pilotage is charged on each movement into, within or out of port limits at the rate for the vessel's length overall. The lengths at which pilotage is compulsory, and the ports at which it applies, are set out on the Vessel Arrivals and Berthing page. Where a pilot is detained on board beyond four hours by a delay for which the vessel is responsible, a further 210 credits is charged for each hour or part of an hour.
| Vessel length overall | Charge in credits | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Under 60 metres | 180 | Charged only where a pilot is requested |
| 60 to 99 metres | 260 | Compulsory at Northgate Harbour and Meridian Basin |
| 100 to 149 metres | 420 | Compulsory at all ports |
| 150 to 219 metres | 640 | Compulsory at all ports |
| 220 metres and over | 980 | Compulsory at all ports; includes the second pilot |
| Shift between berths, any length | Half the rate above | Not charged where the shift is at the Authority's convenience |
| Pilot ordered and not used | Half the rate above | Where the order is cancelled less than four hours before boarding |
Towage. Towage is charged for each tug on each movement. The number of tugs required by a vessel's length is set out on the Vessel Arrivals and Berthing page; a vessel that orders more tugs than are required pays for those it orders. No charge is made where the harbour master orders tugs to a vessel in the interest of the safety of the port.
| Service | Charge in credits | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Tug, first hour or part of an hour | 760 | Each tug, each movement |
| Tug, each further half hour | 290 | Each tug, each movement |
| Tug standing by without making fast | 380 | Each tug, each hour or part of an hour |
| Tug ordered and cancelled within two hours of the movement | 380 | Each tug |
| Tug attending a vessel with a defect affecting its manoeuvring | 1,140 | Each tug, first hour |
| Emergency call-out of a tug by the harbour master | No charge | Where the Authority orders the movement in the interest of the port |
Cargo handling. Handling charges are made for the work of the Authority's cranes, plant and staff in discharging cargo from a vessel to the quay and in loading cargo from the quay to a vessel, including the tally. They do not include carriage beyond the terminal gate, which is arranged by the cargo owner. Where a vessel works its own gear at Westbrook Wharf the charge per tonne is reduced by 30 per cent.
| Cargo | Basis | Charge in credits | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Container, 20 ft, laden | Per move | 128 | Discharge or load, quay to vessel |
| Container, 40 ft or longer, laden | Per move | 192 | Discharge or load, quay to vessel |
| Container, empty, any length | Per move | 74 | Discharge or load, quay to vessel |
| Container carrying dangerous goods | Per move | Rate above plus 60 per cent | Includes segregated stowage on the quay |
| Out-of-gauge or over-height container | Per move | Rate above plus 85 per cent | By prior arrangement only |
| Dry bulk cargo | Per tonne | 3.10 | Grab discharge to silo or road vehicle |
| Liquid bulk cargo | Per tonne | 2.40 | Through the jetty pipelines to nominated shore tanks |
| Break-bulk and general cargo | Per tonne | 9.60 | Quay to vessel or vessel to quay |
| Project cargo and heavy lifts over 60 tonnes | Per lift | 1,850 | Requires an approved lifting plan |
| Roll-on roll-off unit, accompanied | Per unit | 44 | Driven on or off by the carrier |
| Roll-on roll-off unit, unaccompanied | Per unit | 96 | Includes movement by the Authority's tractor |
| Ferry passenger on a scheduled service | Per passenger | 3.20 | Charged to the operator, not the passenger |
Storage. Cargo may remain at a terminal without charge for the free period shown. Storage is then charged for each day or part of a day until the cargo is removed, counted from the end of the free period. Cargo remaining after 30 days may be removed to the Authority's store at the owner's expense and, after 90 days, disposed of under the Authority's rules; the storage charge continues to run in the meantime. The handling rules that govern free periods and removal are set out on the Cargo and Handling page.
| Cargo | Free period | Charge after the free period, in credits |
|---|---|---|
| Import container | 5 days from discharge | 38 per container, per day |
| Export container | 7 days before the loading window | 38 per container, per day |
| Refrigerated container, connected | 3 days from discharge | 96 per container, per day |
| Break-bulk and general cargo | 5 days from discharge | 4.20 per tonne, per day |
| Project cargo and heavy lifts | 3 days from discharge | 18.00 per tonne, per day |
| Roll-on roll-off unit | 3 days from discharge | 52 per unit, per day |
| Dry bulk in the Northgate silos | 7 days from discharge | 1.90 per tonne, per day |
| Empty container on the quay | 48 hours | 46 per container, per day |
Other charges. The charges below are made for services provided on request and for the surcharges that arise where the handling rules are not observed. A surcharge is made in addition to, and not instead of, the ordinary handling charge.
| Service or surcharge | Charge in credits | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Weighbridge, verified gross mass | 68 per container | At Southbank and Meridian Basin |
| Extended working outside published hours | 1,240 per gang, per shift | By arrangement with the terminal office |
| Work on a public holiday of the Network | 1,860 per gang, per shift | By arrangement with the terminal office |
| Refrigerated container point | 42 per container, per day | Includes four-hourly temperature checks |
| Undeclared cargo found on board | 640 per consignment | In addition to the handling charge |
| Container presented without a verified gross mass | 220 per container | The container is held until a mass is supplied |
| Waste, oily residue and sewage reception | 310 per collection | At Southbank and Northgate only |
| Fresh water supplied alongside | 6.40 per tonne | Minimum charge 120 credits |
| Quay space for repair or lay-up | 1,450 per berth, per day | By written agreement only |
| Copy of a tally sheet or cargo record | No charge | One copy to the agent or cargo owner |
Invoicing and payment. The Authority invoices the vessel's registered agent, who is responsible to the Authority for the charges on the call whether or not it has recovered them from the vessel's owner or the cargo owner. The steps below apply to every call.
Step 1: Charges are recorded as they arise
Port dues are recorded on the vessel's arrival, pilotage and towage on each movement, handling on each move or tonne worked, and storage at the end of each free period. The records are drawn from the harbour master's log and the terminal tally.
Step 2: A statement is sent on departure
The agent receives a statement of the charges recorded against the call on the day the vessel sails. The statement is the agent's opportunity to identify a movement, a move or a tonnage that is wrongly recorded.
Step 3: The invoice is issued within three working days
The Authority invoices the registered agent within three working days of the vessel's departure. Storage charges that continue after departure are invoiced separately at the end of each week in which they accrue.
Step 4: Payment falls due within 30 days
Charges are payable within 30 days of the date of the invoice. Interest accrues on a sum outstanding after that date at one per cent for each month or part of a month.
Step 5: Cargo is released against payment
Import cargo is released at the gate once it has been cleared by the Customs Service and any storage charges have been paid. The Authority may decline to accept a further vessel from an agent whose account has been outstanding for more than 60 days.
Step 6: A charge may be questioned within 30 days
An agent or cargo owner who considers a charge to be wrongly made writes to the Authority within 30 days of the invoice, stating the vessel, the invoice number and the item questioned. The Authority answers in writing within ten working days, and the sum in question is not treated as overdue while the question is open.
Remission and exemption. The Authority may remit a charge in whole or in part where a vessel enters for shelter, to land a person who is ill or injured, or to assist another vessel; where a movement is made at the Authority's own convenience; or where a delay is caused by a failure of the Authority's equipment. Vessels of the Network engaged on official service are exempt from port dues, pilotage and towage, but pay handling and storage charges in the ordinary way.
Questions about the schedule, about an invoice, or about the remission of a charge may be sent to contact@ports.gov.vin. For the terminals to which these charges relate, see Terminals; for the volumes on which they are levied, see Statistics; and for answers to common questions, see the frequently asked questions.