A Sustained Import Dwell fee has been introduced at Port Houston and will activate on 1 February.
The fee aims to maintain fluidity at the Bayport and Barbours Cut Container Terminals and address long-term container dwell.
The $45 fee will be charged per unit per day starting on the eighth day after the expiration of free time, as defined in the port’s Tariff No. 15 Subrule 095 and Tariff No. 14 Subrule 093.
This fee is in addition to, and does not take the place of the demurrage charges for loaded import containers that are provided for in those subrules.
Containers will be held until all terminal fees are accounted for; the cargo owner is responsible for paying these expenses.
READ: Port of Houston records fourth busiest month ever
Executive Director at Port Houston, Roger Guenther, said: “The Sustained Import Dwell Fee is intended to minimise long-term storage of containers on the terminals and promote fluidity of cargo movement.
“We’ve seen during the recent increase in demand that containers sitting on terminals for an extended period of time are a challenge. We are implementing this additional tool to help optimise space at our terminals and keep goods moving to the consumers in our region who need them.”
The Port Commission permitted the new dwell fee structure this past October to limit the time containers spend stationed at terminals.
An Excessive Import Dwell Fee was also approved in October, which Guenther has the discretion to enact when necessary. If adopted, it would go into effect after 30 days of public notice and last for at least 60 days.
