The current unsustainable level of port congestion has led to the creation of a task force by President Biden which, in conjunction with the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, has announced the introduction of an emergency surcharge effective November 1, 2021 levied by the ports for containers that meet either of the following criteria:
Containers that remain on terminal based upon the above criteria will be invoiced at a rate of US $100 per container. Each additional day the charge will increase by US $100 per container until out-gated from the container terminal (for example $100 for the first day and an additional $200 for the second day etc).
This is a port authority announced and levied charge which, as a pass-through charge, will be for the account of the merchant and any amount owed will need to be paid prior to container release.
As the intention to begin assessing this charge has only been announced this week and with only a one week lead time, several details are still being worked out by the ports but we felt it important to provide you with the information that is available which will be updated as further details are clarified.
We realize that the current congestion situation is having a severe impact on all that are involved in the transport chain and we will continue to work with you to keep your cargo moving and to keep you informed as we receive further clarification. Any proceeds of this Presidential Task Force initiative are meant to be utilized for improvements to the Long Beach and Los Angeles ports.
In the meantime we are continuing to proactively notify our customers of containers that are dwelling which if not gated out immediately will result in extremely high charges and we are also evaluating re-routing inland cargo through alternative ports which will be communicated in due course.
If you should require additional information, our customer service team at your location will be glad to guide you based on your individual situation.