• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.127-147
• /
• 2016

This study proposes the improvement scheme of the current lease rate assessment system (2003~2014), as a major problem solving area, for the Terminal Operating Company (TOC)'s wharf since the introduction of the TOC system in 1997. The study considers the reform system using three criteria: standardization, simplification, and fairness. The final alternative presented by the study adopts the lease rate assessment system, which newly reflects changes of facilities' property values for aprons, combining it with the related fees of the Korean seaport dues for open storage yards, warehouses (shed), passages, buildings and lands within leased facilities. The proposal anticipates that the new system will not only minimize stakeholders' confusion, but also resolve the main problems within the current system. The study, further, introduces the adjustment ratio, which will make the new lease rate of the apron equal to the current lease rate of a berth, for the individual TOC's wharf, in order to prevent a sharp increment in the lease rate of the apron. This is because the government or port authorities as lessors, need to give priority to lightening the burden of TOC's costs under the deteriorating business environment such as the slowdown in port throughputs' growth. This study makes a contribution by suggesting a new lease rate assessment system for the TOC's wharf, reflecting the value of property as well as leading to its simplification and standardization. Additionally, it may lead to the improvement of fairness by applying the same rate to all leased wharfs for the lease rates of open storage yards, warehouses (shed) and passages. However, it has a limitation that hinders the fairness: the lease rate for the apron cannot be imposed in proportion to the leased area, by applying the individual adjustment ratios. In the future, those adjustment ratios should be, gradually, rationalized to be the same target ratio (0.5) for each wharf, following an improvement in the terminal operating business environment.