Peter T. Leach, Senior Editor | Mar 02, 2012 3:17PM EST
Horizon Lines said Friday it will raise freight rates on cargo moving between the U.S. and Puerto Rico as of April 1.
The largest Jones Act carrier plans to boost rates by $150 per 20-foot equivalent on cargo in dry containers moving between San Juan and Elizabeth, N.J., by $125 between San Juan and Houston, Tex., and by $75 between San Juan and Jacksonville, The company has filed the rate increase with the Surface Transportation Board.
Horzion will increase rates of frozen refrigerated cargo moving on those same three routes by $200, $150 and $100, respectively. Rates on chilled, refrigerated cargo will increase by $250, $200 and $125 respectively.
Richard Rodriguez, Horizon Lines’ vice president and general manager for Puerto Rico, said the rate increases reflect the carrier’s rising operational costs, many of which are contractual, that it has experienced over the past several years.
"Horizon Lines has been implementing cost reduction measures to minimize the need for rate increases, but these efforts have not been able to entirely offset our overall rise in costs,” Rodriquez said.
-- Contact Peter T. Leach at pleach@joc.com. Follow him on Twitter @petertleach.
