The Shipping Bureau of the Ministry of Communications has made a budget of 300 million yuan to help shipping enterprises tide over the epidemic.

The Shipping Bureau of the Ministry of Communications has made a budget of 300 million yuan to help shipping enterprises tide over the epidemic.

The Port Bureau of the Ministry of Communications said yesterday (6) that in view of the continuous heating up of the COVID-19 epidemic and taking concrete actions to help shipping enterprises reduce the impact of the epidemic, the Executive Yuan has approved a budget of NT $300 million, and operators are welcome to apply for operational relief subsidies. We will support the industry to tide over the difficulties in accordance with the principles of convenience for the people and quick examination and verification.

As the COVID-19 epidemic has seriously affected tourism, air transport, sea transportation, land transport, and other industries under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Communications, Minister of Communications Lin Jialong has clearly instructed that relief measures must be "lenient, speedy, and simple." the Port Bureau of the Ministry of Communications actively calls on operators to submit applications as soon as possible, and take the initiative to assist them in their applications, regularly tracking the success rate.

The Shipping Bureau of the Ministry of Communications said that applications for operational relief subsidies have been accepted since March 13 this year, and the amount of applications has now exceeded NT $2 million. The first passenger operator to apply for the Kinmen mini three links has received the approved operational relief subsidy on the 6th.

The Port Bureau of the Ministry of Communications stated that the first Jinmen operator to cooperate with the epidemic prevention policy on February 10 this year had no operating income after the suspension of the mini three links, but various fixed operating costs and loan fees still had to be spent continuously, resulting in a heavy burden on the company's operation. in addition to advising operators to extend existing loans and interest relief measures to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Port Bureau of the Ministry of Communications With regard to the fixed operating expenses of operators during the suspension period (such as crew salaries, staff salaries, office rentals, annual ship repairs, etc.), they have also proposed short-term operation relief subsidies, so that once the epidemic ends, operators can immediately put into operation of fixed passenger routes for mini three links to provide passengers with passengers.

The Port Bureau of the Ministry of Communications stressed that it will continue to pay attention to the needs of the industry and actively assist tutors in handling applications for subsidy cases, so as to effectively reduce the operational burden of shipping operators, so as to facilitate the sustainable development of Taiwan's shipping industry.