Pier PASS to Implement "Peak" Daytime Fees At LA/LB Ports Beginning July 25, 2005
PierPASS has issued a press release announcing that OffPeak, its new program to reduce congestion at the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach, will begin on Saturday, July 23, 2005.
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PierPASS to begin assessing "peak" daytime fees beginning July 25, 2005. According to PierPASS, the 12 international container terminals have agreed to OffPeak shifts of Monday through Thursday 6:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The first OffPeak shift will be Saturday, July 23, 2005.
In addition, beginning July 25, 2005, PierPASS will assess daytime fees (referred to as a "Traffic Mitigation Fee" (TMF)) on all loaded containers entering or exiting marine terminal gates by road during peak daytime hours (Monday through Friday, 3:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.).
Sources state that for those hours not listed above (i.e., hours other than the peak and offpeak hours listed above), the individual international container terminals will determine which of those hours they will operate. Sources confirm that the TMF will only be assessed during peak hours and will not be assessed at any other time.
Fees must be paid/billed in advance in order for imported containers to pass through terminal gates during peak hours. PierPASS states that imported containers will not be allowed to pass through terminal gates during peak hours unless the TMF has been paid or billed in advance. Exporters can either pay in advance or afterward. In no case will payments be accepted at the gate by the terminal operators - all payments of the TMF must be made to PierPASS.
According to PierPASS, when each payment is made, an electronic message is sent to the terminal's operating system in much the same way Ocean Freight or demurrage charges are sent which will allow the gate transaction.
TMF set at $40 per TEU. The TMF has been set at $40 per TEU (20-foot equivalent unit) or $80 for a 40-foot container. According to PierPASS, only registered users will be able to pay the TMF. Users of the ports (such as cargo owners, brokers, truckers, and logistics companies) can register for OffPeak through the registration site at www.pierpass-tmf.org.
The TMF payments collected, minus PierPASS overhead and refunds for cargo moving during OffPeak hours, will be allocated by PierPASS to the marine terminals to help offset their incremental costs to operate the extra gates.
PierPASS to implement accelerated rollout. Although PierPASS had initially planned for a ramp-up period, with off-peak shifts added gradually, the terminal operators have determined that launching all shifts during the first week will present fewer logistical challenges than a phased-in launch. The ramp up period has now been eliminated and all 12 international container terminals at the two ports will now launch five full OffPeak shifts starting July 23, 2005.
Empty containers, chassis, etc. will not be assessed the TMF. PierPASS will not assess a fee for empty containers and chassis, domestic containers, or transshipment to other ports. Nor will it assess a fee for intermodal containers that depart or arrive via the Alameda Corridor for import or export, or that pay an ACTA fee.
The beneficiary cargo owners (shippers, consignees, or their agents) are responsible for payment of the fee. The trucking community and water carriers are not responsible for the payment.
PierPASS updated its FAQs
PierPASS has also posted to its Web site an updated list of answers to frequently asked questions regarding its OffPeak program. The following are the questions that PierPASS has updated from its May 27, 2005 FAQ:
When will the OffPeak program begin?
What are the hours of operation for the OffPeak gates?
What fees will be charged?
(See ITT's Online Archives or 06/08/05 news, 05060810, for BP summary on the OffPeak program.
See ITT's Online Archives or 06/13/05 news, 05061399 1, for BP summary on PierPASS' plans to launch its OffPeak program on July 23, 2005.)
PierPASS press release (dated 06/07/05) available at http://www.pierpass.org/press_room/releases/?id=4.
PierPASS updated FAQs (dated 06/07/05) available at https://www.pierpass-tmf.org/PierPass/Public/Content.aspx?a=bcoPierPassReadMore&type=faq.