TACA lines raising Panama Canal transit fee

TACA lines raising Panama Canal transit fee Carriers in the Trans-Atlantic Conference Agreement will raise their Panama Canal transit eastbound and westbound fees to $212 per container from $192, not subject to currency adjustment factors, effective May 1.
   The conference said the increase was necessary to cover the higher toll fees the Panama Canal Authority is about to charge to help fund its $5.25 billion expansion project.
   The ACP's toll structure for containerships will increase from $49 per TEU to $54 per TEU in May, and is scheduled to increase to $63 per TEU in 2008 and $72 per TEU in 2009.
   TACA member lines are Atlantic Container Line, Mediterranean Shipping Co., Maersk Line, NYK and OOCL.