760 words 4 minute read – Let’s do this!
It’s a quiet day. Quiet in my office, quiet in my town, quiet in the industry. We’re in month five of 2023, this year is almost half over. I don’t know about you but I am so ready for 2024 already, we need some changes up in here. Some economic growth and stability would be great, but I will spare everyone from a political rant, so instead let’s talk about the year so far and the month ahead. It’s no surprise to anyone that 2023 has been slowww, and very similar to 2019, and showing an upward trend for early May 2023 compared to 2019. That’s my good Thursday news for you!
Longshore labor and employers at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have reached agreement on manning requirements for non-automated terminals, that could help to speed up the new contract. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), which represents terminal operators and shipping lines, was reached Tuesday and involves manning requirements for cargo-handling equipment at conventional container terminals in Los Angeles-Long Beach. When a tentative coastwide agreement is reached, ILWU locals up and down the West Coast will wrap up discussions on remaining issues at their ports. Then the entire coastwide agreement will be distributed to the ILWU membership. ILWU local officers will discuss the contract with their rank and file before they vote on it. Sources say that process will take several weeks, and if there is a deal set up soon, a ratification vote is possible in mid-summer.
Import TEU volumes went down slightly this week 7.15% from last week. Low ocean volumes into Los Angeles and Long Beach are contributing to a decline in intermodal 53’ domestic volumes as per an article on JOC written by our favorite JOC Senior Editor Ari Ashe. Import volumes through the Southern California gateway plunged more than 30% year over year in the first quarter, according to PIERS, a sister product of the Journal of Commerce within S&P Global.
Despite the coastal share shifts of ocean containers to East and Gulf coast ports, the share of domestic intermodal coming from the West Coast hasn’t moved much since the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, about 20.1% of domestic intermodal loads originated in the Southwest, defined as Arizona, California or Nevada. The share grew to 21.3% each of the last two years, and was about 21.1% through the first three months of 2023, according to the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA). https://www.joc.com/article/weak-southern-california-port-volumes-hurting-domestic-intermodal_20230504.html
What’s happening at the ports and rails?:
You can find all the information on the below link where we cover port congestion, chassis issues and capacity lead times weekly at all U.S. and Canada Ports and rail heads https://portxlogistics.com/port-rail-updates/
Highlights:
Oakland: Volumes are up in Oakland but beware of longer than normal wait times as SSA still has limited night shifts due to labor shortages. Sources tell me SSA picks and chooses the hours based on labor capacity for the day.
Savannah: There is currently only 1 cargo vessel at anchor in Savannah and 7 set to arrive tomorrow – with that said, we have immediate capacity for all things drayage and transloading!! Need something expedited?? WE ARE YOUR TEAM. Dray/Transload and trucking 2000 miles in 2 days no problem!!! Let us know how we can help. SAV@portxlogistics.com
Houston: Currently 6 cargo vessels at anchor with 50 total arriving tomorrow and through the weekend
There is no hardships to report at any of the Houston ports, but a busy weekend could mean a slower movement into and out of the port through early next week
Did you know? We rock it out in Denver – Every. Single. day! We have had a parade of Port X Logistics Buffalo and Los Angeles team members out to our Denver operations to assist with operations during a change in Denver infrastructure and it has been an amazing mix of camaraderie, hard work and hard play. Our Denver operations offers full service drayage, warehouse transloading and storage and dry vans and flatbeds for your local delivery needs. We can get anything done for you in the Denver area and we will always do it with a smile and the highest quality of customer care – Charlie, Tim and Nick are ready to be your BFFs! Contact us at Denver@portxlogistics.com. We have the Denver drayage and transloading market cornered.
~Jill Rice
Import Volume Charts
