The Port of Long Beach has announced it will delay until at least July 1, 2009, and lower to $6 from $15 a fee on 20-foot equivalent containers that was set to go into effect Jan. 1, 2009.  The Port of Los Angeles is expected to announce a similar delay and reduction.

The Infrastructure Cargo Fee was expected to generate more than $200 million in its first year to pay for bridge, road, rail and other intermodal projects in Southern California. It is opposed by retailers, farmers, manufacturers and other companies that ship approximately 15 million 20-foot equivalent containers – TEUs – shipped through the port complex annually.