Northern China’s coal-rich Shanxi province may finally eliminate the much-contested “wagon request fee” for coal transportation via railway, after unveiling a slew of measures to help shore up the struggling coal industry this year, industry sources said.<br /> <br /> Borne out of the state railway monopoly, "wagon request fee" started as gifts to bribe railway officials to use the rail quota in regulated period and deliver coal as soon as possible when rail wagons are in short supply.<br /> <br /> Over the past 20 years, it gradually became a semi-official gray charge that railway authorities impose on shippers in addition to platform charge, handling fee, freight charge.<br /> <br /> The amount of the fee varies based on seasons, transport distance, and tightness of rail lines as well as how well the relationship between the shipper and the railway department. It ranges from 10 yuan/t to over 100 yuan/t.<br /> <br /> <p> Shanxi shipped about 400 million tonnes of coal last year, if the fee was eliminated, it would save coal producers at least 4 billion yuan every year, industry insiders said. </p> <p style="text-align:center;"> <img src="/upfiles/news/image/20141023/20141023171959_4069.jpg" alt="" /> </p>