The Malta Maritime Authority and the Malta Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprise (GRTU) are disagreeing on the new port tariffs announced last week.

On the one hand, the GRTU is claiming that the new tariffs do not tally with what importers and exporters are actually paying while the MMA is saying that the statements published by the GRTU are misleading and incorrect.

The MMA and GRTU entered into this battle of statements on Saturday.

On Friday, the MMA published new port tariffs which come into effect tomorrow. The new tariffs show a reduction of between Lm1 and Lm23 on the import and export of 20-foot and 40-foot containers.

The GRTU is insisting that the new tariffs show an increase rather than an increase. But the MMA said that the statements issued by the GRTU only served to confuse the port industry at a time when the cooperation of all those involved for the reduction of port costs is needed.

The GRTU issued a table showing the tariffs charged to businessmen. However, in a counter statement, the MMA said that the costs and statements issued by the GRTU are erroneous.

The MMA said the chamber made no distinction in the port charges between the Valletta Port and the Malta Freeport. The port charges in both ports were different. It also said that the port charges quoted by the GRTU are under-estimated.

The costs mentioned by GRTU are the previous costs that applied as at 30 June and do not reflect the cost reductions that will apply from tomorrow, the MMA said.