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Long Beach port congestion, manpower shortages hinder growth
WITH congestion at the port of Long Beach continuing to worsen, the efficiency of the supply chain system is a near-term concern.
Port of Long Beach CEO Jon Slangerup said in a meeting with president of International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 13, Bobby Olvera, and others that the movement of goods at the port is delayed by three to five days because of congestion.
"The supply chain from origin to destination is stressed; in some cases, is flawed," Mr Slangerup said.
"It doesn't function as an integrated system. In order to remain competitive going forward, we must figure out a way to make the entire supply chain operate as a single system."
Mr Slangerup also called the chassis issue a "mismanaged mess" and proposed a plan to acquire, manage and maintain chassis to help relieve congestion.
The ILWU's Mr Olvera pressed for the hiring of more longshoremen, adding that the union has languished for seven years without being able to hire and train casuals to operate machines.
"Sometimes we have problems filling forklift jobs because we don't have men trained," he said.
Peter Friedmann, who represents the Pacific Coast Council-Customs Brokers & Freight Forwarders Association, the Coalition of New England Companies for Trade, and the Agriculture Transportation Coalition, said it would be a mistake to think that cargo flowing through the twin ports is immune to competition.
"There's nothing that we produce - agricultural and forestry products - that cannot be sourced somewhere else in the world," Mr Friedmann said. "So when ports aren't operating, those foreign customers have lots of options."
Port of Long Beach CEO Jon Slangerup said in a meeting with president of International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 13, Bobby Olvera, and others that the movement of goods at the port is delayed by three to five days because of congestion.
"The supply chain from origin to destination is stressed; in some cases, is flawed," Mr Slangerup said.
"It doesn't function as an integrated system. In order to remain competitive going forward, we must figure out a way to make the entire supply chain operate as a single system."
Mr Slangerup also called the chassis issue a "mismanaged mess" and proposed a plan to acquire, manage and maintain chassis to help relieve congestion.
The ILWU's Mr Olvera pressed for the hiring of more longshoremen, adding that the union has languished for seven years without being able to hire and train casuals to operate machines.
"Sometimes we have problems filling forklift jobs because we don't have men trained," he said.
Peter Friedmann, who represents the Pacific Coast Council-Customs Brokers & Freight Forwarders Association, the Coalition of New England Companies for Trade, and the Agriculture Transportation Coalition, said it would be a mistake to think that cargo flowing through the twin ports is immune to competition.
"There's nothing that we produce - agricultural and forestry products - that cannot be sourced somewhere else in the world," Mr Friedmann said. "So when ports aren't operating, those foreign customers have lots of options."
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