National Industrial Transportation League: Stop west coast demurrage now

THE National Industrial Transportation League (NITL) wants a stop to demurrage and detention fees at US west coast ports until labour strife ends and shipping returns to normal, reports American Shipper.

"We call upon carriers and terminal operators to put a moratorium on all demurrage and detention charges," said NITL ocean chairman Don Pisano. 

 "It is grossly unfair to charge demurrage or detention charges against containers when the drayman cannot get into the terminals to pick up or deliver," he said.

 "I know of no other industry that can, nor would, assess a punitive charge against a customer for the principal's own failure to provide the service to that customer," said Mr Pisano, who also president of Jersey City's American Coffee Corp. 

 "It is maddening that while the PMA and ILWU can both make their own accusations against the other as to the causes of the congestion, the real burden is being put on draymen and beneficial cargo owners," said NITL ocean chairman Don Pisano.

 "It is completely misguided to think that causing pain and frustration to the local drayman trying to eke out a living will somehow win their support or the support of the beneficial cargo owners," said Mr Pisano, also president of Jersey City's American Coffee Corp. 

 As it stands a federal mediator is on site, but that only seems to have brought animosity of both sides out into the open after relatively leak proof and seemingly civil bargaining sessions. 

 On the ground, the problem is the number of yard crane operators the union is willing to dispatch. Not enough to clear the backlog in the yard, says management. 

 Management has ending nightshifts on the quay because there is no reason to unload containers from ships if there is no place to put them. The union says the lack of chassis is the problem and blames management.