Friday, May 29, 2015

SoCal Ports Form Supply Chain Working Group

By Mark Edward Nero

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have created working groups focusing on peak operations and terminal optimization to develop ways to strengthen the competitiveness of the San Pedro Bay port complex.

Participants in seven issue-specific working groups will be drawn from goods movement industry stakeholders, including shipping lines, cargo owners, labor, railroads, trucking interests, equipment owners and more, the ports announced May 27.

The Peak Season 2015 working group will be the first to meet – in early June – kicking off a series of intensive sessions. The job of the first working group will be to drill down on this year’s peak demand needs at the port complex, the ports say.

The mission of the supply chain optimization effort overall is to build upon the economic benefits the port complex provides to the region.

The seven announced working groups are: Peak Season 2015, Container Terminal Optimization, Chassis, Off-dock Solutions, Key Performance Indicators/Data Solutions, Intermodal Rail, and Drayage.

The ports’ supply chain optimization effort is a result of an agreement approved by the Federal Maritime Commission earlier this year allowing the neighboring ports to discuss new efficiencies and other improvements that would improve their business competitiveness, environmental sustainability and security.

In April, the ports hosted a joint meeting in Long Beach drawing dozens of industry representatives to weigh in on their most pressing needs. The Supply Chain Optimization Steering Committee – comprised of port leaders – has been reaching out to stakeholders across the industry for participants for the seven working groups, starting with the Peak Season 2015 working group.

In addition, the ports say they plan to convene advisory groups of additional environmental, industry, community and government stakeholders to be asked for input on proposals put forth by the working groups.