The Department of Transportation (DOTr), under their DO 2020-007, requires domestic shipping lines to provide cargo space allocation not less than 12% of their vessel’s cargo capacity per voyage for agricultural and food products.
This also enjoins all domestic shipping lines to extend a discount of not less than 40% from their published shipping rates for all cargoes on agricultural and food products covered by the DO. This will prioritize shipment of agricultural and food products to aid in ensuring the “viability of food production and delivery in line with the government’s mandate to provide food security for the people.” This DO is also pursuant to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) Resolution No. 46, series of 2020. –KJDA