VICTORIA International Container Terminal is increasing many of its landside fees from 1 January.

The Melbourne terminal operator is increasing nearly all of its fees, according to a notice to customers

Among these increases is a 10% hike in the infrastructure surcharge, which will be $177.49 (excluding GST) starting on 1 January.

“VICT has experienced a notable increase in business costs during the past 12 months,” the company said in its statement.

“While VICT makes every effort to absorb these costs, there remains a need to recover a portion of the costs associated with the landside operations.”

The company pointed to inflation and an increase in energy prices as significant contributors to the higher operating costs.

“Despite our efforts to contain and absorb some of the cost increases, VICT has been unable to avoid increases in our operational input and lease cost which, without adjustment to some of our infrastructure related costs, would negatively impact the continued service levels that our customers expect from us,” the company said.

“The landside charges recover part of the costs related to maintenance and operation costs on our landside, property costs, capital investment to the landside infrastructure.

“The revised charges have been a direct result of increasing costs and are a direct pass-through to our customers to recover these on-going costs.”