DHX Warns of Clean Air Costs
Ocean and air freight transportation company, Hawaii’s Dependable Hawaiian Express (DHX) has advised consumers to expect a rise in the cost of freighting goods to the Hawaiian Islands, a result of Clean Truck Programs implemented by the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles.
As reported by Freightscene.com in early October(*), the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles have begun to implement the plan, which mandates that all trucks manufactured in 1988 and earlier be banned from the ports, while trucks manufactured in 1989 and onwards, being subject to a Clean Trucks Fee.
Despite reports that the ports do not yet have billing mechanisms in place, DHX estimates that from November, customers will be levied an additional $35 dollars per twenty foot container and $70 dollars per forty foot container. The company also says that additional charges will apply to less than container load freight, and while these charges will vary and are yet to be determined, the best estimate of the company puts these charges, based on average container loads as well as minimum container loads the company ships, at about $.06- 6 cents, per cubic foot.
DHX has said that the added port fees will be passed on to customers in the form of a “Clean Truck Program” charge based on the size of the shipment, effective on the date the ports start charging DHX the fees, which as reported is estimated to commence in early November.
DHX has advised customers that the company is in the process of upgrading their own software so that these charges can be separately broken down on billing statements. The company also expressed regret at the added costs, informing consumers that increasing charges due to environmental programs may not be over, with the ports of Oakland and Honolulu, likely to follow the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in implementing similar clean truck programs.