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A
particular target of criticism by AgTC participants
was the Port of Oakland where shippers and
truckers say delays continue. Chris Lytle,
Port of Oakland executive director, said
the port was making every effort to end
delays and bring operations back to normal.
He said a new equipment centre in the San
Joaquin Valley would help truckers and shippers
pick up chassis and containers without making
the longer drive to Oakland.
Fresno's
TGS Transportation vice president Peter
Schneider said: "We need all the stakeholders
to work together to solve the problems at
Oakland. We have no choice. We must work
together."
Los
Angeles port director Gene Seroka and Long
Beach Port Director Jon Slangerup noted
that improved chassis supply has already
helped to ease congestion at the two southern
California ports.
Schneider
agreed that turn-around times at the two
southern California ports had improved,
but noted that some terminals are working
better than others. But Oakland lags behind.
Mr
Seroka and Mr Slangerup noted that new automated
terminals in Los Angeles (Trapac) and Long
Beach (Long Beach Container Terminal) would
improve cargo handling as larger ships arrive
at the ports. Mr Lytle lamented that the
Port of Oakland lacks the funds to invest
in a new terminal.
Also,
the two southern California ports are working
to reduce truck congestion on crowded roads,
including the 710 freeway, by establishing
a short distance rail line linking the two
ports to distribution centres in nearby
Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Slangerup
said that the railways "need to be
compensated for taking thousands of trucks
off the roads" and freeways. He said
details for the new rail service are being
worked out.
Mr
Friedman said that he was so impressed by
the willingness of the ILWU to pay for attendance
at last year's AgTC meeting so as to "sit
and listen." When the ILWU paid to
attend this year's meeting, Mr Friedman
decided to ask the union to participate
in a panel discussion.
He
noted that agricultural exporters couldn't
afford to avoid west coast ports. If other
importers and exporters abandoned west coast
ports and shifted their business to Gulf
and east coast ports, "we and the ILWU
may be the only ones left."
ILWU
vice president Ray Familathe spoke directly
to Nina Solari and her call for Congressional
action regulating the ILWU saying "we
hear you."
He
said the ILWU wants to make west coast ports
more competitive, but noted that there must
be collaboration between the ILWU, terminal
managers and ocean carriers. Significantly,
Mr Familathe noted, the PMA did not attend
the AgTC event.
He
noted that the PMA has authorised the hiring
of additional longshore workers to ease
congestion and that the ILWU is ready and
willing to have the ports operate on a 24
hour a day basis, but the terminals must
approve this.
Mr
Familathe said the ILWU was willing to consider
beginning negotiations for the 2019 contract
much earlier than last time to avoid a repeat
of 2014-2015 problems.
ILWU
LA and Long Beach president Robert Olvera
said there were many things the ILWU could
do to improve productivity at the ports,
but longshore workers are constrained by
terminal management.
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