Steadily improving cargo dwell times on the docks have prompted Long Beach and Los Angeles port officials to again postpone the start date of a fee that would charge ocean carriers for every import container lingering at terminals for nine or more days.
Officials at both ports have pushed the implementation of their container dwell fee to May 13 and plan to review the start date after examining the data over the next week.
The ports said they have seen the amount of older cargo drop a combined 47% since announcing the fee on Oct. 25.
Harbor commissioners governing both ports recently voted to extend the fee policy to July 28. The fee calls for ocean carriers to be charged $100 for every import that stays past its allotted time, rising in $100 increments per container every day until it leaves the port.
Any money collected from the fee would pay for programs aimed at improving cargo efficiency and velocity, according to port officials.
