Over 100 cargo owners, trucking firm authorities, representatives of longshore labor, marine terminals and other goods movement industry stakeholders recently gathered for a joint conference held by the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles to gather input, perspicacity and elucidations focused on refining the effectiveness of the supply chain.
“We are looking at not just improving this gateway,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Jon Slangerup. “This is an effort to look at the entire supply chain – end to end. The new normal must be better than anything we’ve had in the past and that’s where we are headed with this supply chain optimization effort.”
“Our stakeholders have provided insightful feedback on ways we can work together to improve throughput and efficiency throughout the San Pedro Bay port complex,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. “We’ve already seen a marked improvement in recent weeks, and the ideas discussed will help shape strategies moving forward.”
Building upon a meeting in March where top executives from the nearby ports began deliberations on improving speed and efficiency within the gateway’s supply chain. The forum took place in Long Beach and was broadcasted live; please visit www.polb.com/webcast or http://www.portoflosangeles.org to access the archived footage.
The “supply chain optimization” process is an extension of the amended discussion agreement approved recently by the Federal Maritime Commission, permitting the two ports to collaborate far more tactically on methods aimed to prevent further congestion which lead delayed cargo shipments.
The meeting included presentations from across the industry spectrum which specified a necessity to keep costs low, increase dependability and transparency while incorporating additional data and improved technology.
Representatives of the two ports offered additional measures to address these needs by focusing on particular areas of supply chain optimization and promptly working with representatives of industry, labor and the community to best be able to quantify solutions.
The use of megaships, along with a new level of vessel-sharing dynamics recently fashioned by alliances of carriers, contract concerns and a disparity of truck chassis all contribute to the congestion ports faced at the beginning of this year. The issues were especially prominent at the San Pedro Bay ports because of the prodigious volume of cargo that flow through the gateway.