Port of Oakland refrigerated exports jump 20% in past year


NEWS\\\


Refrigerated export volume has grown 20% here in the past year, the Port of Oakland. The increase could indicate that the Port’s strategic bet on temperature-controlled cargo is paying off. The Port said it handled


119,756 TEUs of refrigerated exports


from August 2018


through July 2019. That was up from 99,740 in the same period a year ago. The figures reinforce


Oakland’s position as the largest exporter of refrigerated cargo in containers among U.S. ports. “Our business partners are


investing to meet increased overseas demand for U.S. farm goods,” said Port of Oakland Maritime Director John Driscoll.


“When you


couple their expertise with our infrastructure, it makes a compelling case for running the transportation cold chain


through Oakland.” The Port said its fastest-


growing refrigerated exports were beef and pork products from the U.S. Midwest. Beef exports have increased 45 percent in the past year. Pork volume is up 38 percent in that same period. The Port attributed its refrigerated cargo


growth in


to strong consumer demand, increased U.S. farm production


Port of Oakland retired boss Chris Lytle gets lifetime honor


Port of Oakland retired Executive Director Chris Lytle recently received one of the shipping industry’s top honors. The Containerization and Intermodal Institute presented him its Lifetime Achievement Award for a 53-year maritime career. The recognition came during the Institute’s annual Connie Awards banquet. Mr. Lytle, 73, stepped down in


July aſter six years at the helm in Oakland. He had previously


served as Executive Director of the Port of Long Beach. Both are among the nation’s 10 largest container seaports. “I’ve had a long and satisfying


career and this recognition makes it easier to step away,” said Mr. Lytle. “I’m leaving the industry with great memories and pride in what I’ve accomplished alongside hundreds of wonderful colleagues.” Connie Awards are presented annually to maritime industry


and Oakland’s location on the eastern edge of the Pacific Rim. Oakland is the final stop for Asia-bound container ships leaving the U.S. That makes it the fastest gateway to Asia, the Port’s primary market, for shippers of perishables. The Port of Oakland is


considered one of the nation’s top gateways for refrigerated agricultural products. That’s in part due to its location near


leaders who’ve had substantial impact on container shipping. Lifetime


Achievement


awards recognize prolonged contributions


to trade and


transportation. Mr. Lytle is credited with


leading Oakland to record-high cargo volume in each of the past two years. His tenure was marked by the introduction of industry service innovations that included: near round-the- clock cargo pick-up and delivery for harbor truckers; online transaction-time


reporting


at marine terminals; and warehouse and distribution center development adjacent to the docks. Mr. Lytle


is Chris Lytle serving as a


consultant to the Port of Oakland through year-end.


Logistics sector expresses concerns over development of new UK Customs system


The British International Freight Association (BIFA) has expressed numerous concerns over the progress of the development of a new computer system that will replace an existing system used for processing Customs declarations. BIFA Director General, Robert


Keen says that with the freight and logistics sector facing numerous challenges including the increasing likelihood of a no-deal Brexit, and the demands that it will put on the companies that are responsible for moving the UK’s visible trade, BIFA is concerned that progress with the development of the new system has been inconsistent, with periods of activity and progress, and then little concrete news. Keen states: “Our single greatest concern is that currently the


development process does not involve representatives of the end- user. This is a dangerous oversight because it is the end-user who will determine what will actually work in practice, particularly as IT developers have been flagging up a lack of clarity regarding data elements. “To give a simple example,


LIC 99, which indicates a license waiver for all types of goods, is to be replaced. The new requirement will be for a license waiver for individual types of licenses, which potentially adds complexity and makes entry completion more difficult in practice. “Furthermore, despite initial


assurances from HMRC to the contrary, it is clear that the new system will require more significant changes to commercial soſtware systems than previously


envisaged. To give a simple


example, a declaration on the current system - Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) - requires the completion of 59 data fields, whilst a declaration on the replacement system - Customs Declaration System (CDS) -


data fields for import and 65 for export declarations.” The development of the


new system includes many stakeholders – HMRC, IBM, community systems providers (CSPs), numerous soſtware providers and representatives. Keen notes that some of the


CSPs and soſtware providers have already highlighted the difficulties faced


in developing


the new system, the distinct lack of clarity regarding some of the data elements and the


incomplete nature of some of the development work. For BIFA, there is a clear indication that the IT sector has concerns regarding the program and the suggested timeframes. He says: “HMRC has recently


will consist of 78


announced its proposed plan for completing delivery of the new Customs Declaration System and migrating traders to the new platform, which requires all traders to migrate from CHIEF to CDS by September 2020 in order for HMRC to meet its requirement to turn off CHIEF in March 2021 when the current contract ends. “We have heard from CSPs and


other soſtware developers, and HMRC itself, that this timeline is challenging and understand that HMRC has requested soſtware developers and CSPs to expedite their plans to deliver and assure


Issue 8 2019 - FBJNA


California’s fertile Central Valley. The Port relies on rail connections to tap Midwest agricultural exporters. The Port has taken steps


this decade to strengthen its foothold in cold chain logistics including developing new distribution capability; extending operating hours to


ease delivery of export


containers to the Port for overseas


shipment; and


installing hundreds of additional electrical outlets to plug in refrigerated containers awaiting vessel loading. Last fall, Lineage Cool Port Oakland opened at the Port.


3


It’s a collaboration of logistics and warehousing industry leaders, Lineage Logistics and Dreisbach Enterprises. The 283,000-square-foot refrigerated distribution center handles containerized perishables, mostly beef and pork. The Port listed other


companies that provide t emperatu re- cont rol led services for exporters through Oakland: PCC Logistics, Pacific Transload Merchants


Systems, AGRO Group, Preferred


Freezer Services, United Cold Storage, Americold, and United States Cold Storage.


COSCO Shipping Ports Buys 100% Stake in APMT Zeebrugge


COSCO Shipping Ports is purchasing a 76% majority stake in APM Terminals’ 1 million TEU capacity Zeebrugge Container Terminal in Zeebrugge, Belgium. APM Terminals (APMT)


opened the Zeebrugge terminal in


October 2006. COSCO


Shipping Ports purchased a 24% share in 2014. This means COSCO Shipping Ports now controls and owns 100% of the terminal. COSCO Shipping, parent company to COSCO Shipping


the necessary changes to IT systems and business processes without compromising the integrity of the border, or the flow of international trade.” Based on currently available


information, BIFA is challenging HMRC, in conjunction with the IT sector, to identify all the problem areas and formulate a plan to resolve them, whilst agreeing a realistic timeframe to deliver the new system, fully developed, stable and tested. It also wants urgent consideration to be given to involve end-users to ensure that the outcomes actually work in practice. Keen adds: “Everyone


concerned needs to remember that developing the new core system is only one part of a much bigger jigsaw. Customs agents will have to collect significantly greater amounts of data from their customers. Also, within individual data fields we see an increase in options. For instance, as previously indicated, LIC99 is


Ports, is the major customer of the port and has long had an interest in growing the terminal’s volumes.


COSCO


Shipping is a member of the Ocean Alliance. COSCO Shipping Ports has


other affiliations with APMT. It is a co-shareholder and strategic partner in Egypt’s Suez Canal Container Terminal, and China’s Qingdao Qianwan Container Terminal (QQCT) and Guangzhou South China Oceangate Container Terminal (GOCT).


a single license waiver covering all goods. It is thought that this code will be replaced by multiple options dependent on the type of license waiver being claimed. “We


are encouraging our


members to consider how they will collect and store this additional information from clients, who oſten are not fully aware of the new requirements. “On top of all these issues, we


have to factor in the increasing likelihood of a no-deal Brexit, and the demands that it will put on our sector.


“In this scenario it has to be accepted by all


that the


implementation of CDS will have to be delayed, whilst we are using existing systems to facilitate cargo movements and communicating with the various government agencies to allow them to perform their role to collect revenues without compromising the integrity of the border, the flow of international trade, or frontier security.”


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