US President Joe Biden announced a deal last month to establish around-the-clock operations at the Port of Los Angeles to break an unprecedented container ship traffic jam blamed for driving up consumer prices. But that hasn't happened yet, reports London's Guardian.
Los Angeles port executive director Gene Seroka said the habour has a '24/7 capability', but a shortage of truck drivers and night-time warehouse workers poses problems in establishing a nonstop schedule, along with getting importers to embrace expanded hours.
'It's an effort to try to get this entire orchestra of supply chain players to get on the same calendar,' he said. Among thousands of importers, 'we've had very few takers to date.'
US ports have been inundated with cargo since the pandemic shifted spending. Covid-19 reduced labour needed to keep goods flowing smoothly. Older truckers retired early, while infection control measures limited dock and warehouse staffing. Facing full warehouses at home, companies delayed picking up goods at the port.
With containerships stranded at ports and unloaded goods waiting for trucks, the White House hoped the longer workday at the port would help loosen the bottleneck and reduce shipping delays for everything from cars to toasters to sneakers.
The backlog remained significant last but there were signs of progress with a slight drop in the number of containerships waiting to enter the Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex.
As for moving cargo, Mr Seroka said the port had witnessed a 25 per cent drop in the number of import containers on the docks since October 24, from 95,000 to 71,000. During the same time, cargo sitting nine days or longer dropped by 29 per cent, he said.
To speed up the clearance of containers, the port earlier this month announced a new fee that would hit imports destined for truck removal after nine days or more on docks and would start after six days for rail-bound cargo. Ports would charge ocean carriers escalating fees for overstaying container - with a US$100 charge for the first day, $200 for the second, and so on.
The progress allowed executives to delay imposing the fee by one week to November 22, they said.
Mr Seroka acknowledged 'there's much more work to be done,' but said there had been 'great progress by our dock workers, shipping lines, truckers, marine terminal operators and railroad partners'.
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Los Angeles port executive director Gene Seroka said the habour has a '24/7 capability', but a shortage of truck drivers and night-time warehouse workers poses problems in establishing a nonstop schedule, along with getting importers to embrace expanded hours.
'It's an effort to try to get this entire orchestra of supply chain players to get on the same calendar,' he said. Among thousands of importers, 'we've had very few takers to date.'
US ports have been inundated with cargo since the pandemic shifted spending. Covid-19 reduced labour needed to keep goods flowing smoothly. Older truckers retired early, while infection control measures limited dock and warehouse staffing. Facing full warehouses at home, companies delayed picking up goods at the port.
With containerships stranded at ports and unloaded goods waiting for trucks, the White House hoped the longer workday at the port would help loosen the bottleneck and reduce shipping delays for everything from cars to toasters to sneakers.
The backlog remained significant last but there were signs of progress with a slight drop in the number of containerships waiting to enter the Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex.
As for moving cargo, Mr Seroka said the port had witnessed a 25 per cent drop in the number of import containers on the docks since October 24, from 95,000 to 71,000. During the same time, cargo sitting nine days or longer dropped by 29 per cent, he said.
To speed up the clearance of containers, the port earlier this month announced a new fee that would hit imports destined for truck removal after nine days or more on docks and would start after six days for rail-bound cargo. Ports would charge ocean carriers escalating fees for overstaying container - with a US$100 charge for the first day, $200 for the second, and so on.
The progress allowed executives to delay imposing the fee by one week to November 22, they said.
Mr Seroka acknowledged 'there's much more work to be done,' but said there had been 'great progress by our dock workers, shipping lines, truckers, marine terminal operators and railroad partners'.
SeaNews Turkey
