Emergency COVID-19 Surcharge to be Implemented at Yilport's Terminals

Citing increased costs in part due to the health and safety steps implemented at its terminals, Yilport Holdings, the Turkish company which operates container terminals primarily in Europe, announced that it is implementing an emergency surcharge on all import and export containers beginning January 1, 2021. The surcharge, which is approximately $3.00 per container, is being implemented at Yilport’s terminals in Turkey, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Norway, and Sweden as well as Ecuador.

Reiterating that the surcharge will cover part of the operating costs caused by the pandemic at many of the 22 terminals Yilport currently operates, the company also highlighted the steps taken to maintain smooth operations at the ports. 

Personnel’s body temperature and health status are checked at the gates and each terminal is following World Health Organization, governments, and local authority recommendations and requirements. Daily sanitizing is being conducted in areas including break rooms, restrooms, dressing rooms, cabinets, tally rooms, and kiosks and in some locations equipment cabins and terminal shuttles are sanitized on each shift. 

Terminals have also been equipped with isolation rooms and contingency kits. Ozone generators are installed for sanitization and disinfection of air conditioning systems and cafeterias are closed in many terminals with meals served at employee workstations.

Yilport has also started a program to obtain COVID-19 compliant certificates for all its terminals. The certification audit will finish by early 2021.