Seven of Chinese state departments are investigating four local shipping companies over allegations that they have levied arbitrary and excessive charges for port services following complaints from foreign trade firms, reports Reuters.
The National Development and Reform Commission had so far found that some shipping companies “have too many items on document charges and unreasonable telex release charges,” the notice said.
The companies are Ningbo Dagang Pilotage, a subsidiary of Ningbo Port Group, Nantong Youbang Port Services, Taizhou Dingan Ocean Shipping Services, and Dandong Dehai Ship Services, which operate at the ports of Ningbo, Nantong, Taizhou and Dandong, respectively.
The state departments conducting investigations are the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Commerce, the General Administration of Customs, and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection.
PTI previously reported Alexandra Wrage, the President and Founder of anti-bribery compliance expert Trace as saying that shipping is the most corrupt industry as a result of not having a mature anti-corruption compliance culture.
Pakistan’s shipping industry has also come under scrutiny of corruption after Dawn, Pakistan’s English language newspaper, blamed Pakistan’s failing shipping sector for systematic failures that power corruption and misplaced priorities.