Imports Crowd Docks of Haifa, Create Problem

The government’s attempt to route all imports through this port instead of allowing some of them to be landed at Jaffa has resulted i# traffic-crippling congestion which has created a knotty problem for merchants and transport agencies.

Choice of Haifa as a preferred port, rather than Jaffa, is due to the fact that it is easier to levy import duties at the former place, where there is a landing dock, while at Jaffa, which is an open harbor, lighterage must be carried on in small boats.

Importers report that goods discharged from customs here cannot be found, that ships’ manifests have been open for as long as ten days, and that in some instances merchandise for which the Customs Department has issued receipts cannot be traced in the customs sheds.

DOCK LABOR SHORTAGE

As a result demands are being made for demurrage in customs in cases where goods cannot be located. Unprecedented congestion has been caused by a shortage of dockers, a lack of adequate staffing in the Customs Department, insufficiency of transport facilities and delays of at least twenty-four hours in customs formalities.

Importers at Jaffa are unable to get their goods from Haifa because the railways have not enough trucks, and exporters have been compelled to pay demurrages because the railways, handicapped by congestion at the port, have been unable to place trucks containing goods destined for abroad in places convenient for exports. This has necessitated longer hauls and delays in shipment.

Merchants declare that coordination of the customs, railways and harbor management services is inadequate.