PORTS Briefs: Addressing Supply Chain Solutions and October Numbers Fall Behind 2020

POLA Sees Another 900,000+ TEU Month

SAN PEDRO — The Port of Los Angeles processed 902,644 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in October, a decrease of 8% compared to last year, which was the busiest October on record. Year to date, overall cargo volume has increased 22% compared to 2020.

Since Oct. 24, there’s been a 31% drop – from 94,981 to 65,080 – in the number of import containers on Port of Los Angeles marine terminals. Import containers dwelling nine days or more has declined 35%, from 37,410 to 24,361.

October loaded imports reached 467,287 TEUs, an 8% decline compared to the previous year. Loaded exports dropped 32% to 98,251 TEUs compared to 2020.

Empty containers increased to 337,106 TEUs, an increase of 2% compared to last year. Ten months into 2021, the Port has processed 9,079,562 TEUs, 22% more than the 7,444,464 TEUs handled at this time last year.

Gov. Newsom Tours twin Ports with White House Port Envoy Highlights Actions to Address Supply Chain Crisis

LOS ANGELES — At the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach Nov. 17, Gov.r Gavin Newsom highlighted the ongoing work to address the global supply chain crisis, including policies to help ease congestion and alleviate backlogs. The Governor was joined by Port Envoy to the Biden-⁠Harris Administration Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force John D. Porcari, ILWU International President Willie Adams, port leadership, local legislators and elected officials. The combined actions of government, labor, port operators and the private sector have resulted in a 32% drop in containers sitting on dock for more than nine days in the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

To support these efforts to keep goods moving and lessen backlogs, last month Gov. Newsom and the U.S. Department of Transportation announced a partnership to help facilitate projects and financing opportunities for multi-billion infrastructure improvements in California, including providing up to $5 billion for ports and supply chain infrastructure. In addition, the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) workers committed to a shift towards 24/7 operations in the coming months.

The week of Nov. 8, maritime industry stakeholders announced a new and more environmentally friendly queuing policy, in which vessels will be assigned a queue spot at their port of last call. The port is also utilizing sweeper vessels to support the movement of empty containers. Over the last weekend, carriers loaded out about 10,000 of the remaining 72,000 containers, with additional sweeper vessels coming in the next few weeks. Port Envoy Porcari has also been leading thrice weekly meetings with terminal operators, shipping lines and other key stakeholders to identify operational problems and immediate solutions at the two ports.

Transportation Secretary Buttigieg and POLAs Executive Director Discuss Supply Chain Solutions

SAN PEDRO — U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka Nov. 16, held a virtual media briefing Tuesday to discuss the latest developments in the supply chain, including how ports nationwide will benefit from the new Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Secretary Buttigieg outlined the expected impact of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was recently passed by Congress and signed Nov. 15, by President Biden. The Secretary and Seroka discussed the $17 billion “Action Plan for America’s Ports and Waterways,” which includes funding for navigation construction, port infrastructure and reduction of truck emissions.

Details: www.youtube.com/watch-pola-news-briefing 

POLB Sees Second-Busiest October

LONG BEACH — Limited capacity at marine terminals hampered imports at the Port of Long Beach last month, although volumes were still strong enough to mark the Port’s second-busiest October amid an ongoing transition to extended operating hours.

Dockworkers and terminal operators moved 789,716 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), down 2.1% from the port’s strongest October on record, achieved in 2020. Imports decreased 4.3% to 385,000 TEUs, while exports increased 6.6% to 122,214 TEUs. Empty containers moved through the Port declined 2.4% to 282,502 TEUs.

Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero noted the port is trying to add capacity by searching for vacant land to store containers, expanding the hours of operation at terminals, and implementing a fee that will incentivize ocean carriers to pull their containers out of the port as soon as possible.

The Port of Long Beach enacted a Congestion Dwell Fee on Nov. 1, charging ocean carriers for cargo containers that remain too long on the docks. The program is aimed at speeding the flow of cargo containers moving through the San Pedro Bay ports complex and reducing a record number of vessels waiting off the Southern California coast. As of Nov. 10, there has been a 20% decrease in loaded import containers that have dwelled at the Port of Long Beach past their respective time limits. The Port of Los Angeles has adopted an identical measure.

Additionally, the Port continues to work with marine terminals and other supply chain partners to expand hours as part of a framework for 24-7 operations.

The Port of Long Beach has moved 7,884,565 TEUs during the first 10 months of 2021, up 21% from the same period in 2020. The Port is on pace to move more than 9 million TEUs by the end of this year, surpassing the current record of 8.1 million TEUs achieved in 2020.