Container Traffic Rises at L.A. Port as Congestion Issues Continue
Container traffic at the Port of Los Angeles increased in October as the port works to resolve congestion issues.
Container imports rose 7.2% to 370,938 20-foot-equivalent units for the month from a year ago, while exports declined 6.7% to 158,181 units.
The port said it has facilitated meetings recently, resulting in a new system to distribute chassis, expected to begin Feb. 1.
“While increasing cargo volume is our objective, the congestion circumstances in recent months have caused delays for cargo owners that absolutely must and will be resolved,” Executive Director Gene Seroka said in a statement.
“We continue working with our customers and logistics partners to do everything possible to relieve the current situation and design solutions that will better enable the supply chain of the future,” he added.
Total container volume rose 4.6% to 715,682 TEUs from a year ago, and year-to-date overall volume has increased 7.5% to 7 million containers.
Union contract negotiations at West Coast ports have gone on for more than six months, and reports of cargo slowdowns at West Coast ports have cast new doubt on the direction of the talks.
The Pacific Maritime Association charged that the International Longshore and Warehouse Union slowed cargo in Seattle and Tacoma, Washington, as well as Southern California by refusing to provide enough workers.
“The ILWU is not responsible for the current congestion crisis at West Coast ports,” the union’s Nov. 10 statement said, citing chassis issues, rail delays, a shortage of port truckers, cargo volume increases and the use of larger vessels that strain the landside cargo handling network.
