On Feb. 26, the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles received
approval from the Federal Maritime Commission to cooperate on finding new ways
to prevent congestion and cargo delays, improve the transportation network and
enhance air quality.
The FMC’s decision now allows the ports to pursue joint
projects that they say will strengthen the ports’ ability to remove bottlenecks
and move cargo faster and more efficiently.
The newly expanded agreement specifies that the two ports
can exchange information on “projects” and “programs” in addition to rates,
charges, operating costs, practices and regulations related to marine terminal,
trucking, rail and vessel operations.
“With this discussion agreement, the ports of Long Beach and
Los Angeles can now focus on working together to improve the speed of cargo flow
throughout the supply chain,” Port of Long Beach Chief Executive Jon Slangerup
said in a prepared statement. “The ports are in a perfect position – and indeed
have an obligation – to bring all industry stakeholders together to identify
and implement continuous improvements.”
The harbor commissions that oversee the adjoining ports
asked the FMC in December to expand existing working agreements in an effort to
find long-term solutions to the congestion that had slowed the movement of
cargo shipped through Long Beach and Los Angeles in recent months.
Although major ports around the globe have grappled with the
same problems, the difficulties have been magnified at LA-Long Beach, which is
the busiest harbor complex in North America and handles nearly 40 percent of US
cargo. A tentative contract agreement reached Feb. 20 by longshore labor and
management has helped however, and the ports are working through the backlog of
containers.