U.S. terminals move towards national security fee

U.S. terminals move towards national security fee    U.S. terminal operators and port authorities are close to agreeing on a national security fee to recoup the cost of additional port security measures required by the Maritime Transportation Security Act.
   The level of a future security fee is unknown, but this issue is being discussed, according to industry sources and to a Federal Maritime Commission official.
   Two major groups of port operators — the Maritime Security Discussion Agreement and the West Coast Maritime Terminal Operators Discussion Agreement — have formed a so-called bridging agreement to talk about common security fees. The bridging agreement will become effective April 22.
   Terminal operators face the problem of how to recover huge costs imposed under the federal law on maritime security, estimated by the U.S. Coast Guard at $1.5 billion for fiscal year 2005 and $7.3 billion over 10 years. The federal government provided ports with grants that covered only a fraction of the associated costs.
   The Maritime Security Discussion Agreement, set up last year by 25 major ports and terminal operators and allowed by the FMC, authorizes its members to meet, discuss, and “possibly agree” on the costs of port security, including rates, charges, rules, regulations, practices, and conditions, the FMC said.
   The Alabama State Port Authority, the Massachusetts Port Authority, Lambert’s Point Docks Inc., Safmarine Container Line, China Shipping Container Lines and CMA CGM have recently joined the Maritime Security Discussion Agreement group.