Ports Authority Publishes Cargo Handling Rules, Agent Procedures and Schedule of Port Charges

The Ports Authority of the Velocity Interoperability Network today published the rules that govern the handling of cargo at its terminals, the procedure by which shipping agents register with the Authority and bring vessels into the ports, and the schedule of port dues, pilotage, towage, cargo handling and storage charges that applies from Monday 7 September to 31 December 2026. All three take effect on 7 September 2026 and replace the interim arrangements under which the ports operated during the transition period.

The handling rules require every consignment to be declared on the cargo manifest before a vessel arrives, every packed container to carry a verified gross mass before it is loaded, and dangerous goods to be declared 48 hours before arrival and stowed in segregated areas. They set the free storage periods for import and export cargo, the arrangements for refrigerated, out-of-gauge and perishable cargo, and the procedure for reporting damage or loss. Shipping agents are required to register with the Authority, to give 72 hours' notice of an arriving vessel, and to submit the cargo manifest 24 hours before arrival. Sixty-three agents were registered at establishment.

Port dues are charged per gross tonne by vessel category, with a minimum charge of 400 credits per call and a flat charge of 120 credits for coastal and inland craft under 500 gross tonnes. Container handling is charged per move, bulk and break-bulk cargo per tonne, and roll-on roll-off cargo per unit. Charges are invoiced within three working days of a vessel's departure and are payable within 30 days. The full schedule, and the handling rules and agent procedure, are set out on the Port Charges and Cargo and Handling pages of this site. The schedule for 2027 will be published in November 2026.