West Coast Port News From JOC: LA-Long Beach looking beyond peak season to greater challenges ahead All seem to be confident that LA-Long Beach will be able to handle the spike in container volume this peak season. However, there are longer-term challenges: mega ships, carrier alliances, truck turn times, and rail performances. West Coast ports have lost 5% market … [Read more...]
West Coast Ports: Contract is Ratified
West Coast Ports: Contract is Ratified U.S. West Coast ports ILWU ratified a five-year contract with terminal operators and shipping companies, the union announced Friday. The new five-year labor pact, which runs through June 2019 is retroactive to July 2014. This formally ends the labor conflict that slowed the movement of goods at the country’s largest gateways to an … [Read more...]
Seized Cargo Ship Is Released by Iran
Seized Cargo Ship Is Released by Iran The Maersk Line cargo vessel seized at gunpoint at the end of April by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz (only six miles wide near the Persian Gulf and vulnerable to attack) was released on last Thursday May 7th after talks between the shipper and the Iranian authorities. From New York Times Iran's impounding of the vessel, the Maersk Tigris, … [Read more...]
LA, LB Ports – Congestion Eases
LA, LB Ports - Congestion Eases... On Thursday (yesterday) as well as Tuesday, there were brief periods of no container vessels arriving. This is a significant indicator that the congestion is easing. From JOC: The largest U.S. port complex is not out of the woods yet, however, as the vessel arrival schedule provided by the Marine Exchange of Southern California showed … [Read more...]
GAO to Investigate West Coast Port Congestion
GAO to Investigate West Coast Port Congestion A U.S. senator asked the GAO (Government Accountability Office) to research the effects of the labor-related slowdown at West Coast ports. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the letter she sent on April 15. Fischer wants GAO to examine four points: the impact of the slowdown on related industries, including agriculture, … [Read more...]