Resident ship owners to pay tonnage tax at US 75 cents

Resident ship owners to pay tonnage tax at US 75 cents

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistan resident ship owning company shall pay tonnage tax of an amount equivalent to US 75 cents per ton, as proposed through Finance Bill, 2020.

A new clause (c) has been inserted in Section 7A of Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 through Finance Bill, 2001 to levy the tax on resident ship owning company.

“(c) A Pakistan resident ship owning company registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan after the 15th day of November, 2019 and having its own sea worthy vessel registered under Pakistan Flag shall pay tonnage tax of an amount equivalent to seventy five US Cents per ton of gross registered tonnage per annum.”

The application of tax has been extended up to June 30, 2023 by amending sub-section 2.

Before amendment the section is read as:

7A. Tax on shipping of a resident person.—(1) In the case of any resident person engaged in the business of shipping, a presumptive income tax shall be charged in the following manner, namely:—

(a) ships and all floating crafts including tugs, dredgers, survey vessels and other specialized craft purchased or bare-boat chartered and flying Pakistan flag shall pay tonnage tax of an amount equivalent to one US $ per gross registered tonnage per annum; and

(b) ships, vessels and all floating crafts including tugs, dredgers, survey vessels and other specialized craft not registered in Pakistan and hired under any charter other than bare-boat charter shall pay tonnage tax of an amount equivalent to fifteen US cents per ton of gross registered tonnage per chartered voyage provided that such tax shall not exceed one US $ per ton of gross registered tonnage per annum:

Explanation.—For the purpose of this section, the expression “equivalent amount” means the rupee equivalent of a US dollar according to the exchange rate prevalent on the first day of December in the case of a company and the first day of September in other cases in the relevant assessment year.

(2) The provisions of this section shall not be applicable after the 30th June, 2020.