20


Issue 2 2021 - FBJNA


///ASIAN TRADE


>> 19 that


“coupled with tighter space in


warehouses and distribution centers from COVID-related practices


restrict the


movement of containers. The longer dwell time for cargo and other factors are restricting the access to the containers that shippers are looking to send to Asia at this time.” Similar trends have been


detected in Los Angeles and Vancouver. In Los Angeles, volumes plunged 19% in the first five months of 2020, followed by an unprecedented second-half surge. “Our container business in 2020 was the most erratic we have ever seen,” said Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles.


In mid-February


2021, the port’s weekly volumes showed spikes of 130% over 2020, and later weeks were expected to show increases of over 200%. There were 18 container vessels at anchor awaiting berth in mid- February, with an average wait time of eight days. High demand and short supply


in Los Angeles has led to a deficit in labor availability, noted Gene


Welsh,


executive


director


for


ocean freight at BDP, a global logistics and technology provider. That, he said, “is having a negative impact


on productivity and


container flows.” On Canada’s west coast, the


situation is “testing our resiliency,” said Chris Ng, vice president for


marketing and sales at Global Container Terminals Canada. GCT Canada’s Deltaport and Vanterm in Vancouver experienced a significant slowdown in the first half of 2020, followed by a strong uptick in the second half, leading to a logistics imbalance. Issues with container shortages and


GCT Deltaport’s multi-phased expansion of road and rail access, completed in December, increases rail-handling capacity by over 50%. (Credit: GCT)


congestion, Ng noted, have been recently compounded by winter weather


in mid-Canada and


decreased train velocity to the west coast. Ng predicted that relief will be


seen by mid-April or early May. “There’s a lot of catch up to be done between now and then,” he said. Significantly, GCT Deltaport’s multi-phased expansion of road and rail access was completed in December, increasing rail-


handling capacity by over 50%. Remedial Steps


For Cordero, “The best way to catch up is to vaccinate frontline workers. This country’s waterfront workforce should be moved ahead in the line for the COVID-19 vaccine.” Long Beach has also taken steps to speed the flow of cargo, including opening an overflow container


yard and a major new bridge. Boosting productivity has


become a priority at the Port of Los Angeles. On February 1, the port launched an incentive program offering terminal operators financial rewards for implementing dual transactions —which enable truckers to return empties and pick up an import container on the same trip—and for shrinking truck


drop-off and pick-up


times. APM Terminals’ Pier 400


in Los Angeles “is focused on dual transactions,” said Narin Phol, Maersk North America’s regional managing director. Sixty-five percent of the pier’s gate moves now comply, “and the goal is to increase this,” Phol added.


the of


On the other side of Pacific,


Taiwan’s Kaohsiung launched


Port a


container transfer scheduling system that provides real-time, image-based road congestion monitoring and a container transfer scheduling website and an associated mobile app. The


21 >>


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