After seeing continued progress in moving cargo that lingered on their docks, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have again delayed implementing the Container Dwell Fee, this time until Jan. 17.
The announcement comes as the adjoining ports have reported a 45% drop in cargo that dwells since Oct. 25 when the fee was first announced.
Leaders from each port said they plan to reconsider the start of the fee after it reviews next week’s data.
The fee calls for ocean carriers to be billed $100 for every import that lingers nine or more days before leaving by truck and six or more days before leaving by rail. An incremental charge of $100 per container also would be issued daily until the import departs a terminal.
Pre-pandemic, the average time a container stayed at the port before local delivery was under four days, while those bound for trains stayed less than two days.
Revenue from the fees would benefit programs that bolster cargo efficiency and reduce congestion.
