<B>Trans-Atlantic Conference Increasing Rates</B>

The Trans-Atlantic Conference Agreement has announced it will increase freight rates twice next year for westbound cargo. The Agreement announced that April 1 there will be a rate increase of $240 for 20-foot containers and $300 for 40- and 45-foot containers bound for Atlantic and Gulf ports. The TACA also announced it will implement a second increase of the same amount Oct. 1, 2001.

To Pacific Coast ports, TACA will impose a general rate increase of $360 per 20-foot container on April and $500 for 40- and 45-foot containers. On October 1, additional increases of $240 per 20-foot box and $300 per 40- or 45-foot box will be imposed. A general rate increase of $25 per freight-ton will be imposed on April 1 and of $15 per freight-ton on October 1.

The conference also said it would restructure its westbound class tariff from December 1, 2000 but that this would not result in rate increases.

Finally, TACA said it was imposing bunker surcharges effective January 1, 2001 of $55 per 20-foot and $110 per 40-foot container to and from Atlantic and Gulf ports and $83 per 20 foot and $166 per 40 foot-container to and from Pacific ports.