Southern California Terminal Entry Fees to Rise

Terminal entry fees at Southern California ports are being increased during peak hours effective Aug. 1 to account for higher costs relating to the new West Coast dockworkers’ contract.

The West Coast Marine Terminal Operators set the fee increase of 4% to $69.17 per 20-foot container unit from $66.50. The amount is doubled for 40-foot container units.

A decade ago, terminal operators created the PierPass program to encourage off-peak use of terminals at Los Angeles and Long Beach, California, the nation’s largest ports. No fees are charged for night and weekend port entries.

“The increase will sustain continued operation of PierPass OffPeak gates,” the statement said. “The announced change reflects increases in labor costs contained in the contract recently agreed to between the Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.”

The last increase was two years ago.