A GROUP of Asian feeder operators is imposing an emergency cost recovery surcharge to mitigate the “significant increase” in operational costs arising from “heavy congestion” at major transhipment ports in South-east Asia.

Westports Holdings, the main Port Klang operator, said the congestion has resulted from the interruptions in the Red Sea. Shipping schedules have been thrown into disarray.

A notice that the Asian Feeder Discussion Group (AFDG) took out on Friday (Apr 19) in The Business Times said that key ports in the region that handle the transportation of cargo moving from one vessel to another while in transit to the final destination are experiencing heavy congestion.