With the announcement that the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have been moved to 24/7 operations, there is extra pressure in reducing the number of ships that are piled up in San Pedro Bay. But it is not as simple as one may think, as more container ships (filled with holiday inventory) from Asia are scheduled to anchor within the next few days, reported by Freightwaves.
Part of the ports’ new operating plan includes a “push system” to help identify cargo owners and get commitments from them to pick up their containers. Gene Seroka, Port of Los Angeles Executive Director said at a press conference last week, “In effect, if we can continue to push out this cargo like we’ve shown in early days with our rail partners on the trucking side, that will give us more room on the terminal to bring in these ships even quicker.” Many experts expect the number of ships at anchor to decrease after Thanksgiving, which provides an opportunity for the ports to get as much cargo out of the gates via truck and rail as quickly as they can.
Getting major big-box retailers to commit to 24/7 operations for at least the next 90 days, is not an easy task. One of the keys to accomplishing this goal is secure data sharing, which has been somewhat avoided in the industry. John Porcari, who is coordinating the move to 24/7 operations as port envoy to President Biden’s Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force says many CEOs throughout the supply chain have admitted they need better, more transparent data on a national basis.
The Impact This Has on Truckers
Many truck drivers, who work on site at these ports and adjacent container yards hauling containers in and out, are skeptical of the ports’ 24/7 push system. The Harbor Trucking Association, who represents drayage truckers said, “If truckers can’t secure an appointment to return an empty container, they aren’t able to free up the chassis to move an import off dock, so those appointments go unused.” The association also mentioned that if truckers aren’t able to count on consistent skilled staffing levels, those appointments go unused. Truckers have been working tirelessly and operating around the clock but can still be limited by factors beyond their control such as excessive detention time and the lack of readily available, safe parking for their trucks.
It’s all hands-on deck, especially with the holiday season approaching quick. If you have any questions, contact a team member today!
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