The Infrastructure Cargo Fee takes effect  January 1, 2009 and is expected to rise from $15 per twenty-foot-equivalent unit (TEU) to $18 per TEU in 2010.

The fee is intended for infrastructure projects and the port authorities anticipate applying the $15/TEU fee for seven years, but the rate and duration could vary based on how quickly the infrastructure projects proceed and what state and federal funding might be available. So, the $18/TEU fee anticipated for 2010 is an estimate.

The fee will be applied once per loaded container, avoiding double charges for repositioning the container. The first terminal to handle the container will collect the fee. Fees will not be collected on empty container moves. The port authorities cited the difficulty in attributing those moves to cargo owners.

The fees are expected to generate $1.4 billion for transportation projects.

According to the National Industrial Transportation League, the new fee will be in addition to the $35/TEU clean truck assessment already approved.