A working group of maritime industry stakeholders - including the Pacific Maritime Association, the Pacific Merchant Marine Transportation Association and the Southern California Marine Exchange -has devised a new queuing process for container ships in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Beginning November 16, ships heading east to those ports will have to wait to dock 150 miles offshore. Boats heading north and south can wait closer to shore, but not within 50 miles.
According to an article on 6park.news¸ the new process does not apply to ships that are already in the queue.
Marine Exchange Southern California Executive Director Capt. James Kipling Louttit: “A safe, efficient, reliable and green shipping system is essential to our economy, which is why the new system is so vital. Our organization is delighted to have helped develop a process that relies on comprehensive real-time data to support the health of our ports.”
Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach container excess dwell fee
The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, in coordination with the Biden-Harris Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force and U.S. Department of Transportation, have also opted to levy a “Container Excess Dwell Fee” for containers dwelling in port facilities for long periods of time.
The implementation of this Container Excess Dwell Fee initiative was effective on Monday, November 1, 2021. Although the program is set to go into effect on November 1, 2021, invoicing of these fees will not commence until November 15, 2021.
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will evaluate progress in clearing out terminal facilities through November 15. If there is not sufficient headway made in moving out long-dwelling containers, the directors of both ports may, at their sole discretion, make the invoicing retroactive to November 1. Alternatively, invoicing of these fees may be further postponed should the situation improve significantly through November 15.
Source: apl.com
Phot source: Dreamstime.com