Marine Terminal Operators Will Begin Collecting Clean Trucks Tariff on October 1, 2008
Please read the following news release. We anticipate some congestion when these procedures are implemented.
Call your account representative if you have any questions on how to plan for this in your shipping model.
New "PortCheck" Organization Will Implement Tariff Requirements
Dear Important Stakeholders:
On October 1, 2008, the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach will begin implementing the ports' Clean Trucks Tariff (CTT). This will require all Marine Terminal Operators (MTOs) to collect a Clean Trucks Fee (CTF) of $35 per loaded TEU on containers that move through the terminals (cargo moved via on-dock rail not included). This fee will be used to help the ports pay for the emission reduction programs that they are implementing in order to achieve their goal of reducing air pollution from operations at the ports.
In order to collect the fee required by the Clean Trucks Tariff, MTOs are developing a new organization called PortCheck. PortCheck will develop the system that will be used by terminal operators to both collect and remit the CTF to the ports. The system will automatically ascertain the age of the truck, whether it is operating under a valid concession, and what fee may be owed by the Beneficial Cargo Owner (BCO) for the gate move. The system will determine whether the truck can have access to the terminal, and it will bill the fees to the responsible BCO.
In order for this system to work successfully, all who claim cargo at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will be required to be registered with PortCheck. Trucks entering or leaving with containerized cargo will have their CTF calculated automatically by PortCheck, and the resulting fee will be charged to the importer or exporter of the goods in the container. Information for BCO's that are already registered in PierPass will automatically be exported to the PortCheck database.
The purpose of the CTF is to help fund the modernization of the ports' drayage fleet as part of the San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) that both ports jointly adopted in November 2006. The CAAP was adopted to take critical steps to address environmental and public health impacts of port-related goods movement on those who work or live in the South Coast Air Basin. With the implementation CAAP's strategies such as the Clean Truck Program, goals to significantly reduce emissions while accommodating growth will be substantially met.
More information on PortCheck will be available soon. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call the Clean Truck Center (1-888-KLNTRUX) for more information, or visit www.polb.com/cleantrucks or www.portoflosangeles.org/cleantrucks .
