Red Hook Terminal Orders Trac Intermodal to Remove Chassis
Red Hook Container Terminal in Newark, N.J., is the latest to kick chassis off its property to free up space to store containers due to the growth of larger vessels traveling through the Panama Canal.
Once the Bayonne Bridge was raised, the Port of New York and New Jersey began accepting larger containerships visiting the East Coast and unloading more containers in single stops than ever before. While the ports welcome these Neopanamax vessels, consolidating the same volume of containers into one vessel as opposed to two increases the logistics complexity to store and transfer the cargo onto a railroad or truck.
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Over the summer, the APM Terminal in Elizabeth, N.J., told Direct ChassisLink Inc. to remove its chassis from the property, sidetracking the equipment provider when it was about to enter a pool of pools with Flexi-Van Leasing.
Red Hook’s request that Trac Intermodal remove its Metro Pool chassis before Oct. 31 will pose some logistical challenges, but shouldn’t be as acute as the DCLI situation.
Trac Intermodal already owns land near the terminal, including a chassis depot and a maintenance facility, whereas DCLI didn’t have backup properties.
As of Oct. 23, Metro Pool chassis can’t be returned to Red Hook Container Terminal. After Oct. 27, Metro Pool chassis will not be able to be picked up at the terminal. As of Oct. 30, all Metro Pool business will cease at the terminal, according to a notice sent to customers.
Trucking companies can pick up chassis at the C&C Maintenance Yard on Marsh Street in Elizabeth but will be required to provide the ocean carrier’s booking information or a release number to receive a bare chassis. No release number will be required at Trac’s Elizabeth Chassis Depot.
