Responding to recession

The change would require cargo claiming and pre-payment only from cargo owners who are still using trucks that do not meet the 2007 emissions standards.

This is one of a number of initiatives to help customers in the recession, says Phillip Sanfield at Los Angeles.

“We have looked hard at every possible way to help customers and business partners,” he says.

An infrastructure cargo fee of $6 per loaded container planned for July did not go ahead. “Delaying the fee is in the best economic interests of our importers and exporters during these tough economic times,” he says.

The port has also launched an intermodal container incentive programme that will pay shipping companies $20 per teu for each additional container they bring into port by rail that exceeds their 2008 level. The programme started in May and is expected to cost the port $900,000. An intermodal discount programme gives terminal operators a 10% discount on each container transported to or from the port by rail, going back to January this year.