NMa sets 2012 pilotage tariffs: decrease of 1.55 per cent

Pilotage tariffs in the Netherlands will decrease by 1.55 per cent, according to the tariff decision that the Netherlands Competition Authority (NMa) today published. The NMa has set lower pilotage tariffs than the Dutch Pilots’ Corporation (NLc) had proposed. The NMa took into account the cuts in overhead costs that had been erroneously included in the 2010 pilotage tariffs, for which the 2012 tariffs have thus been compensated.

The NLc’s proposal was based on a decrease of 0.39 per cent, without taking into account said compensation. The NMa is authorized to deviate from the tariff proposal should it not meet the requirements set out in the Dutch Pilotage Act. The NMa is of the opinion that the NLc has failed to give a proper justification for the number of so-called availability hours for 2012. The tariff proposal thus fails to meet this particular requirement of the Dutch Pilotage Act. The costs of the excess projected availability hours have therefore been erroneously included in the NLc’s tariff proposal.




On balance, the tariff base, which the NLc had proposed, needs to be reduced by EUR 1,620,400.




The tariff reduction as a result of the NMa’s tariff decision is therefore 1.55 per cent in comparison with the 2011 tariffs.




Objections and appeals can be filed against the NMa’s tariff decision.