The New York Shipping Association said per-container assessments on cargo moving through the Port of New York and New Jersey will be lowered on Aug. 1, reflecting reduced operational costs.
Per-container cargo assessments will be reduced to $94 from $100 for shipments with destinations within 260 miles of the port. Assessments for shipments to and from Bermuda will remain at $25.
“The new rates continue a decade-long trend of reduced operational cost in the Port of New York and New Jersey and further demonstrate the ongoing commitment of NYSA members to reduce the cost of doing business in the largest and busiest port on the East Coast,” NYSA President John Nardi said.
“The port handled more than 3.3 million cargo containers in 2012, a 2.7 percent increase from 2011. Cargo containers with a destination within 260 miles of our port comprise nearly 80 percent of the total, making this rate reduction very significant for the international carriers that call here,” Nardi said.
The cargo assessments cover longshoremen’s benefit costs. NYSA officials say the latest drop in assessments reflects anticipated productivity gains from the new six-year contract with the International Longshoremen’s Association.
The new contract sets productivity goals and phases in changes in work rules and pay practices. Nardi said last month that approximately 300 workers were expected to take early retirement under the new contract’s incentives.