TERMINAL congestion, labour problems and cargo diversion dragged down container volume at the Port of Oakland by 36.7 per cent in February.
The northern California port that serves San Francisco and Silicon Valley, reported that containerised imports in February decreased 39 per cent and exports shrunk by 34 per cent year on year.
Cargo flow is expected to return to normal after the tentative agreement of February 20 between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA).
"Cargo is moving and the backlog is shrinking," maritime director John Driscoll, reported Newark's Journal of Commerce. "With capacity again available in our marine terminals, volumes should begin building soon."
West coast ports for the past year have contended with congestion problems that originated with cargo spikes generated by the big ships now in use in the trans-Pacific trades.
Chassis shortages and dislocations developed as shipping lines sold their chassis to equipment-leasing companies without a transition plan in place.
The cause of congestion and cargo diversion was a decision by the ILWU in early November to reduce productivity during the contract talks.
Employers reported that soon after the tentative agreement in February, container moves per crane per hour jumped back up to the high 20s from the low 20s in November.
"Import containers in Oakland are getting to customers faster because terminals have room to operate," the port stated.
PORTS
22 March 2015 - 21:31
Backlog shrinks at Oakland after volumes drop 37pc in February
TERMINAL congestion, labour problems and cargo diversion dragged down container volume at the Port of Oakland by 36.7 per cent in February.
PORTS
22 March 2015 - 21:31
Backlog shrinks at Oakland after volumes drop 37pc in February
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