KARACHI, Dec 10: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Ports and Shipping has unanimously passed two bills pertaining to `carriage of goods by sea` and `sea carriage documents.

Both the bills will replace British era laws and bring them at par with international best practices.

The two days deliberations of the committee members with all the stakeholders, including exporters, freight forwarders and shipping lines, resulted in unanimous approval of these bills, stated former chairman, Pakistan Ships Agents Association Mohammad Rajpar.

The NA committee held five meetings before reaching a conclusion and in the last two days (Thursday and Friday), the two bills were unanimously passed on the recommendations of Ministry of Ports and Shipping, the State Bank of Pakistan and the Pakistan Ship Agents` Association.

The proposed bills would have to be put up in the National Assembly within 30 days for legislation and house vote.Mr Rajpar said that the framework of proposed law is based on British Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 1992 which is considered to meet international best practices.

He further stated that the British act is most suitable for Pakistan and, if passed by the National Assembly, it would help Pakistan traders and the mercantile community at large.

Uptill now, Mr Rajpar said Pakistan had been following British era laws, 1856 Bill of Lading Act and Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 1925, but both the laws lost their relevancy with world-wide current practices and was damaging country`s external trade (imports / exports).

The National Assembly committee suggested that exporters should refer their issue to National Assembly committee on finance.

Exporters were instrumental in raising the issue on the ground that their export proceeds are held up because of change in title of Bill of Lading issued by shipping lines.

Exporters had been agitating that after the change intitle of goods, the freight forwarders in connivance with their foreign representatives clear the goods without making payment.

This does not only results in huge loss but also makes them liable to show export proceeds to State Bank of Pakistan or face punishment under foreign currency act.

Mohammad Rajpar, former, chairman, Pakistan Ships Agents Association, further said that the new law would benefit exporters who could make higher claims against loss of their goods.

Under current law, he said only 100 pound sterling could be claimed on loss of a package having a value of $1000.

However, the proposed law, if passed by the National Assembly, would enable exporters to claim 666 SDR (Special Drawing Rights of IMF) per kg which comes to around $1400 per kg.

He further said that all carriers (ships) would also charge less under indemnity proclaimed by P&I Club and there would be low premium.

The new act would reduce exporters` liability, he added.