The Government decided some years ago to change the way in which port and dock areas were assessed for business rates. This has inevitably had the effect of increasing the amount of rates which are paid by the owners and/or operators of the ports, and has had the effect of increasing their costs. These costs are being passed on to their customers, which includes the shipping lines whose vessels call at the ports. The shipping lines in turn are passing the cost on to the shippers, forwarders and operators using their ships; on top of the fuel duty increase last week, this seems to everyone involved in the freight industry like adding insult to injury.