Dozens of ships have wait outside Ashdod Port and Haifa Port for more than a week, and delays at the piers are also continuing, said the heads of shipping companies during a meeting with the Israel Shippers Council yesterday. The shippers expressed their amazement that there has been no intervention by any government ministry involved in the ports reform, which they said had failed.
The Shippers Council has called on the government to intervene immediately in the situation at the ports. Shippers Council president Reuven Zuk said, “Immense damage is being caused to shipping companies. The estimated direct cost is over $500,000 a day, which the shippers pass onto importers and exporters, thereby affecting the entire economy.”
The Ashdod Port said in response, “Ministry of Transport figures for 2006 indicate that Ashdod Port met, and even exceeded, the criteria for servicing containers. There is a minor deviation in the handling of general cargo, because of unexpected heavy traffic. The company believes that 90 more employees will soon join the port’s operations network. The company is making great efforts to meet the needs of customers, and shorten work procedures.”
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on April 17, 2007
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