Ports of New York and New Jersey will apply container demurrage fee from September
Aim is to reduce excess empty equipment remaining in the enclosures and free up spaces.
In anticipation of the expected peak season, the port of New York and New Jersey will apply a fee to containers, full or empty, of import or export that have been in the port for a long time. The goal is to reduce the excess of empty containers that remain in both ports and free up space, according to American Shipper.
The quarterly rate for overstaying containers, announced on Tuesday morning, August 2, will take effect from September, pending a mandatory 30-day federal notice.
“The port of New York and New Jersey faces record import volumes, causing empty containers to accumulate in and around the port complex, which now affect the regional supply chain, which is already under stress from various nature”said port director Bethann Rooney. “We strongly encourage shipping companies to redouble their efforts to evacuate empty containers more quickly and in larger volumes to free up much-needed capacity for incoming imports in order to keep trade moving through the port and the region”.
On the other hand, in addition to the fee, the port is setting mandatory export levels for containers. Under the new rules, the total volume of containers leaving the shipping lines must be equal to or greater than 110% of their volume of containers entering during the same period. If they fail to do so, shipping companies will have to pay US$100 per stay of each container. The railway volume is not included.
It is worth mentioning that the mobilization of containers has increased by around 12% so far this year in the port and the volume of containers has exceeded the pre-pandemic levels by 34%. In order to cope with the increase in empty containers and long-lasting imports, land of 4.8 hectares is being used.
Port officials commented that the rate will be reassessed once the container crisis subsides. In addition, the agency’s board of commissioners will conduct a review by September 2023.
SOURCE: MUNDOMARITIMO.CL