Today, February 18, 2009, is the day when the Ports of LA and Long Beach will begin collecting the Clean Truck Fee (CTF).  This fee, amounting to $35 per 20ft container or $70 per 40ft container, is to be paid by the cargo owner (as named on the bill of lading).  No cargo will be allowed in or out of the port unless this fee has been paid, no exceptions.  

I can appreciate the POLA/POLB position and their desire to clean up the environment.  However, I continue to question whether an additional fee is the wisest move in this economic environment.  I wouldn’t want to give a current customer any reason to take their business somewhere else.

For more information on the project, please see the Portcheck.org website.