The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have once again delayed implementing a levy on businesses whose import containers linger in marine terminals, with the assessment now taking effect, if necessary, on Friday April 8.

Container dwell fees have been repeatedly delayed, with ports citing progress in reducing the number of containers at terminals as the reason. Ports, for example, said on Friday April 1 – when the announcement of the fee would be delayed again – that they had seen a combined 56% drop in aging cargo at the docks since the announcement of the late fee. October.

Over the next week, officials will monitor and reassess the implementation of the fees.

The fee, announced on October 25, was originally scheduled to start on November 1, but ports quickly postponed it to November 15 to give shipping carriers time to comply. When November 15 arrived, the ports, citing progress, delayed it until November 22. The ports, the two busiest in the country, have delayed implementing the fee every week since then.

The fee is one of many efforts to expedite cargo processing at the San Pedro port complex to eliminate a backlog of ships trying to deliver cargo. About 40% of import containers have been idled in terminals for at least nine days, Port of Los Angeles officials said when announcing the charges in October.

The Long Beach and Los Angeles Harbor Commissions unanimously approved the policy Oct. 29, for a 90-day term. The pilot program has since been extended until April 29.

Fines, if enforced, will start at $100 per container, increasing by $100 per container each day. Containers intended for transport by truck and rail will be subject to the charge if they remain in port for nine days or more.

Fees collected under the policy will be reinvested in programs to improve efficiency, increase freight speeds and address the effects of congestion.