Empty Collection Appointment
Operating Rules (ECA Operating Rules)
(effective 1 January, 2018)

Participating Container Terminals
Participating Shipping Companies
ECA Service Transaction Fee
  1. The following rates apply to ECA users:
    Standard Rates Monthly Usage
    HK$ 320 per container 10 containers or less
    HK$ 310 per container 11 containers or more
    For other charges, please click here.
  2. You are fully responsible for the settlement of ECA Transaction Fees, whether the collection process is sub-contracted or not.
    3. Pick-up Location
  3. ECA is currently provided to pick-up locations at Hongkong International Terminals, Modern Terminals, COSCO-HIT, River Trade Terminal. The service is not yet available for other pick-up locations.
    4. Empty Collection Appointment
  4. ECA is currently only available for common empty containers. For containers of other types or for special requirements, special arrangements should be made with shipping lines, and / or terminals.
  5. if you have made an arrangement with a shipping line for the collection of an empty container with a specified container number, an ECA is not necessary.
  6. You should pick up the empty containers at the specified time within 3 days of the appointment being made (including the day the appointment is made). You can select the collection time which must be confirmed by OnePort Limited. The 3-day validity period ends at 23:59 on the third day after the appointment. The appointment will be cancelled if the appointed empty container(s) is/are not collected within the time limit.
  7. ECA for Kwai Tsing Port / River Trade Terminal Appointment requests are to be sent to terminals (including HIT, MTL, COSCO-HIT & RTT) in 5 batches a day. The request transmission & reply schedule is as follows:
    Requests sent to terminals Replies to customers
    0900 (9 a.m.) 0945 or before
    1100 (11 a.m.) 1145 or before
    1300 (1 p.m.) 1345 or before
    1600 (4 p.m.) 1645 or before
    2000 (8 p.m.) 2045 or before
  8. While making appointments by Internet or IVRS, customers can select transmission time to send ECA requests to terminals. Two available options include:
    • i. Next transmission time
    • ii. Tomorrow 0900 (9 a.m.)
  9. After your ECA request has been sent to the terminal for processing, you may not cancel the appointment or change the collection time until the appointment is confirmed.
  10. Whether you can be issued with a container number and a seal number depends on the supply of inspected empty containers at the specified pick-up location. If no empty container is available under the ECA process, you should make other arrangements as soon as possible.
    11. Change Appointment
  11. You may change the pick-up time provided the new pick up time is within the 3-day validity period defined in Clause 6. The new pick-up time must be confirmed by OnePort Limited.
  12. You may not alter the size, type or shipping order number of the appointed empty container(s). If such a change is necessary, you should cancel the existing booking and make a new one.
    13. Appointment Cancellation
  13. You may cancel an appointment any time except in the circumstances defined in Clause 9.
  14. You do not have to pay the ECA Service Transaction Fee if the appointment is cancelled before the container terminal has received the appointment request.
  15. After receiving appointment requests from you, OnePort Limited will forward them to the container terminals for processing, including container re-positioning and inspection. Therefore, if an appointment that OnePort Limited has already confirmed is cancelled, the ECA Service Transaction Fee paid will not be refunded.
  16. If you cancel an appointment, the shipping line may require you to pay detention charges. (See “Detention”).
    17. Empty Collection
  17. You should collect the empty container at the specified pick-up time. If the reserved container has not been collected within 2 hours of the pick-up time:
    1. the original appointment will be automatically cancelled;
    2. the reserved empty container will be re-allocated to another customer;
    3. the shipping line may require you to pay detention charges. (See “Detention”).
  18. Upon empty collection, you should bring along all necessary documents with the most up-to-date information provided by the shipping line and the empty collection reference number. If insufficient documents or incorrect information is provided, ECA may not ensure the collection of empty containers.
    19. Detention
  19. When the appointment is confirmed, an empty container will be reserved for collection by you. During the reservation period, the reserved empty container will not be used for any other purpose. The shipping line may assume that the reserved empty container has been collected by you from the terminal. Therefore, in case of cancellation of appointment or non-collection of the reserved container, you remain responsible for payment of detention charges.
  20. The detention period is deemed to be from the moment the appointment is confirmed by the container terminal to the moment the appointment cancellation is confirmed by the container terminal. If the reserved container is not collected as scheduled, the reservation time will be deemed to be from the moment the appointment is confirmed by the container terminal to the assigned collection time.
  21. Detention charges are an arrangement between the shipper and the shipping line. You should contact your shipping line(s) for details.
    22. Container Inspection
  22. OnePort Limited has developed the container inspection procedures and measures for its ECA service through negotiations with participating container terminals to ensure the service quality of empty collection appointment.
    23. Payment Method
  23. OnePort Limited can help customers to set up autopay for payment of service fees. Customers may also choose to settle fees by cheque.
  24. OnePort Limited will send a bill shortly after the end of each month for charges incurred in that month. OnePort Limited will send the bill via email and/or fax. All bills are immediate payable upon receipt.
    25. Special Arrangements
  25. In case of closure of pick-up location due to adverse weather conditions or other incidents, you should re-schedule the collection time via the ECA Customer Service Hotline or the online appointment system. In such circumstances, the 3-day time limit for collection described in Clause 6 will also be extended.

Remarks: OnePort Limited may make changes to the above ECA Service Terms whenever it deems necessary, without notice.

Last updated: December 1, 2017