The Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority has authorised the implementation of a sustained import dwell fee from December 2022.
The Port Authority also authorised an optional excessive import dwell fee.
Port Houston said the new fee structure aimed to mitigate the issue of long-dwelling loaded import containers by incentivising cargo movement, as the port is experiencing record container volumes in the latest months.
The fee would be assessed directly to the Beneficial Cargo Owners (BCOs) on the eighth day after the expiration of free time.
Executive director of the port, Roger Guenther said that staff had evaluated several options to improve Port Houston’s cargo movement and has concluded that “it would be reasonable to further incentivise the BCO or third party accepting the charge on its behalf to remove containers from the terminal and reduce dwell time”.
The port authority also approved more than US$52 million towards investment in infrastructure, including providing the US Army Corps of Engineers up to US$42 million to support the fiscal year 2023 for the design and construction of the
Houston ship channel expansion.
It also approved a US$7 million contract to Rigid Constructors, LLC to construct a 48,560sqm interim container storage facility expansion to redevelop the west end of Barbours Cut terminal.
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