In a new measure to reduce congestion in the Kingdom's seaports, the ministries of Finance and Transportation have reached an agreement under which they have reduced the exemption period for the clearance of goods from 13 to 10 days and cars to five days after which the consignees will pay demurrage fees. The authorities concerned at the Saudi Council of Chambers of Commerce have sent a circular to all merchants and importers to abide by the new rules aimed at reducing congestion at all seaports. A source at the Saudi Seaports Authority attributed the congestion witnessed by some of the Kingdom's seaports, especially Jeddah's Islamic Seaport, to merchants' and importers' delay in clearing their shipments and consignments. Thus the authorities concerned have reduced the clearance period to solve the congestion problem pointing out that the actual revenues generated by the Authority in the past fiscal year (2008) reached SR3 billon against SR2.5 billion in 2007 registering an increase of SR486.5 million or 17 percent. He said the Saudi seaports are required by specialist international organizations to strictly abide by international protocols and navigational legislation. Okaz/SG __
