1079 words 5 minute read – Let’s do this!
We are at the leap year 2024 February close and we head into a March weekend – the countdown to Spring is here. Did you ever think Spring would be here, like this fast?? As well as being this close to 2024 being 1/4 over? What new industry changes are heading or way this year?
Starting May 26th, The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is tightening up on container per diem fees. They have imposed new billing standards on ocean carriers and terminal operators in order to crack down on the abuse of per diem fees. Ocean carriers and marine terminal operators will be required to issue detention and demurrage invoices within 30 calendar days from when charges were last incurred. Shippers and other billed parties will have at least 30 calendar days to request that charges be refunded. Carriers and terminal operators must try to resolve the matter within 30 calendar days unless the parties agree to a longer time frame. Another provision of the rule states that demurrage or detention invoices can be issued to a consignee — that is, the ultimate recipient of the cargo — as an alternative to the shipper. Port drayage truckers in particular — that do not contract with ocean carriers will no longer receive demurrage and detention bills, the American Trucking Associations’ Intermodal Motor Carriers Conference (IMCC) also praised the changes.
The new rules also stipulate minimum data requirements for demurrage and detention invoices:
| Invoice date |
|---|
| Invoice due date |
| Maximum allowed free time in days |
| Start date of free time |
| End date of free time |
| Container availability date for Imports |
| Earliest return date for exports |
| Specific date(s) for which demurrage and/or detention were charged |
“Failing to include any of the required information in a detention or demurrage invoice eliminates any obligation of the billed party to pay the applicable charge,” the rule states.
How can Port X Logistics help to make proof of per diem charges a less painstaking process? We are very versed in the pains of disputing Per Diem invoices and we keep track of outgate and ingate tickets for all containers as well as documents providing screenshots for any port appointments that have been rejected. We are happy to provide you with a demo on how you can log on into our system and get that information on your own private tenant any time of the day. If you are interested in a demo from our team contact Blake and Tom or letsgetrolling@portxlogitics.com
Import TEUs are up 12.22% this week from last, the heaviest volume this week arriving to Long Beach 23.6% of incoming TEU volume, Los Angeles 15.7% of incoming TEU volume and Newark 14.8% of incoming TEU volume. Get ready! Lunar New Year has ended and the wave of LA/LGB imports will begin to start pouring in around mid March. We highly encourage everyone to get their orders in to us early so we can begin to track your containers from overseas and up until it reaches the port. We can dray your containers from any Port or rail in the U.S. and Canada and transload with plenty of photos provided and once ready to load out to outbound trucks, we always include a shareable tracking link to track your final deliveries in real time. Contact us for all your West Coast as well as all of your other U.S. and Canada transload needs – letsgetrolling@portxlogitics.com
What’s happening at the ports and rails?:
You can find all the information on the below link where we cover port congestion, chassis issues and capacity lead times weekly at all U.S. and Canada Ports and rail heads on our website – click on the link below
Click Here For Port & Rail Updates
LA/LGB: With almost 40% of this week’s incoming volume arriving through to the LA/LGB Ports, the ports are heating up. There are no major issues with congestion or chassis, but with the “March madness” of Lunar New Year volumes and many shippers choosing to send containers through the West coast to avoid the Panama Canal we are not sure just how long the calm will last. Our team can help put some gameplans in place and guarantee no congestion and no demurrage charges if you act fast.
Contact our west coast team to get the ball rolling CA@portxlogistics.com
Houston : Up to 2 days waiting time for vessel berthing at Barbours Cut terminal and 2 days at Bayport Container Terminal. Average gate turn times for drivers at Barbours Cut Container Terminal are 40 minutes and 43 minutes at Bayport Container Terminal. Loaded import rail dwell is at 3.7 days. Our Houston team has open drayage capacity and our transload warehouse is waiting for your freight. If you need drayage in Houston (And Dallas!) or transloading in Houston including heavy and hard to unload cargo like coils and pipes we have you covered letsgetrolling@portxlogistics.com
Memphis: The chassis shortages have improved in Memphis and the BNSF is improving as well which has been a trouble spot the past few weeks. Port X Logistics has 48 trucks, yard space, and transloading (92 acres of yard space and depot equipped with lift capabilities) in Memphis – Our Yard backs up to the UP in Marion. We are the premier choice for your drayage needs in Memphis – contact us for great rates and if you have any immediate drayage needs and emergencies at letsgetrolling@portxlogitics.com
Did you know? Sunday the 3rd marks the start of TPM2024 festivities and the Port X Logistics team will be on site again this year! Come by and visit our booth located outside on the Promenade between the Convention Center and the Hyatt. Our team will be there to talk drayage, transloading, and trucking in the USA and Canada. Some of the hot topics will be diversification and visibility. Lots happening in 2024. The Panama Canal is still low, Suez still seeing disruption, ILA east coast negotiations, new FMC rules for demurrage, and on. Daily demos are also available at our booth and we have spots open for lunch and dinner meetings and helicopter rides that tour the Port. If you are interested in meeting with the team contact marketing@portxlogistics.com We hope to see you there!
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