Friday, August 2, 2019

New Software for Long Beach Container Terminal

By Karen Robes Meeks

To improve workflow between terminals and trucking firms, marine terminal operator Long Beach Container Terminal (LBCT) has developed “Application Programming Interfaces” or APIs, LBCT President Anthony Otto announced earlier this week.

The new program – vetted and validated on LBCT’s proprietary Trucker Portal website – enables integrated data between trucking companies and terminal operators to flow more efficiently, allowing for short truck turn times.

“Benefits of the new platform include automatic creation of appointments as soon as containers become available, automatic cancellation of appointments that cannot be kept allowing for that time slot to be made available to other truckers and automatic grouping of appointments to facilitate dual transactions,” according to LBCT.

Other elements to make new APIs available is in the works, allowing LBCT to push data out to the Truck Management System. This move would do away with a truck driver’s need to give information on container and seal numbers, delivery and reception times and other data.

“LBCT continues to be an industry leader in working with the drayage community to realize greater efficiencies that impact the entire port ecosystem,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero.

Port of Seattle to Announce Cruise Facility Developer

By Karen Robes Meeks

The Port of Seattle is expected to announce early next year which of the three shortlisted teams it will partner with for the development and operation of the proposed single-berth cruise facility at Terminal 46.

The teams, selected last May, are:

• Cruise Industry Leaders Group, a joint effort of Royal Caribbean Cruise Ltd., MSC Cruises S.A., Carnival Corporation and SSA Marine, Inc., a subsidiary of Carrix, Inc.

• Global Ports Holding Plc and Civil & Building North America, Inc., and

• Ports America, who is partnering with Jacobs Engineering Group.

The new facility is expected to be delivered in time for the 2023 cruise season.

For more information on the project, visit https://www.portseattle.org/projects/new-cruise-terminal.

Oakland Signs Logistics Lease

By Karen Robes Meeks

The Port of Oakland recently inked a 13-year lease with Shippers Transport Express, keeping the company on 32 acres at the Port’s Seaport Logistics Complex through 2032. The move is critical to the prompt handling of import cargo to domestic markets.

“Shippers Transport Express hauls 400 loaded import containers off the terminal every night,” pointed out Port of Oakland Maritime Director John Driscoll. "That frees up space at the terminal for additional cargo and makes it easy to collect those containers for delivery.”

By staging containers away from terminals, cargo pickup time is reduced significantly, from 75 minutes to 15 minutes or less, according to the port.

Rent for the Shippers Transport Express property will average $4 million annually. The port will invest $7 million toward paving the land for container parking.

Los Angeles Port Police Make Drug Haul

By Karen Robes Meeks

Approximately 1,200 pounds of smuggled marijuana worth an estimated $450,000 was recently seized at Cabrillo Beach, thanks to increased patrols by the Los Angeles Port Police.

On July 20, Los Angeles Port Police Marine Units noticed a suspiciously bow-heavy 23-foot boat, a vehicle, a trailer, and three men trying to leave the public boat launch.

They were taken into custody by the Los Angeles Border Enforcement Security Task Force and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations, which will handle the investigation.

A rise in drug smuggling along the state coast has prompted port police officials to ramp up patrols.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Longshore Training Program Slated
for San Pedro Bay

By Karen Robes Meeks

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 13 and the Pacific Maritime Association (APM) have agreed to establish a workforce training program at the San Pedro Bay complex. A Blue Ribbon Commission was instituted to study and weigh in on the future of work at the Port of Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who announced the agreements earlier this month, had been involved in talks between the two parties since April. The agreement comes after many months of negotiations over the automation of Pier 400, the port’s largest terminal.

“In Los Angeles, we know that if we don't guide the future, workers and communities can be left behind,” Garcetti said. “This workforce training program will ensure today’s waterfront workers are equipped for tomorrow’s jobs and continue to support the harbor community. I will never stop fighting to preserve good, middle-class jobs and protect the hardworking women and men who power our economy – and today’s agreement is a start, and not an end, to our work.”

The creation of the workforce training program will help boost the skillset of up to 900 registered longshore workers and mechanics. The agreement between the ILWU and APM Terminals “calls for the ILWU mechanics to begin familiarization and training of the new APM equipment in the coming weeks as it begins a modernization project on its terminal.”

Meanwhile, APM Terminals will postpone additional automated-related projects until at least July 1, 2022, according to the port. Los Angeles Councilman Joe Buscaino, whose district encompasses the port and San Pedro, proposed the Blue Ribbon Commission, which intends to look at the automation issue and future work at the port. The commission will make recommendations to the City Council.

“This agreement calls for a comprehensive, fully-paid training program to re-skill and up-skill longshore workers to equip them for the next generation of work on the waterfront,” said Pacific Maritime Association CEO Jim McKenna. “This will help longshore workers prepare for the port jobs of the future.”

Everett CEO Moving On

By Karen Robes Meeks

In a special Port Commission meeting on July 22, Port of Everett CEO Les Reardanz announced that he will step down from his post in October to care for his aging parents and focus on his newly expanded military duties.

Reardanz, who served his fourth overseas tour of duty in 2018, was recently promoted to the Reserve list for promotion to the permanent grade of Rear Admiral (Lower Half) in the Navy Reserve Judge Advocates General Corps (JAG).

“Character and integrity are values I hold deep, and it is with great sadness that I have to move on from my role at the Port of Everett to tend to my aging parents, while also balancing my new Navy role,” Reardanz said. “It has been a humbling honor to work at the Port of Everett, and I am so proud of what our team has accomplished and will continue to accomplish in the years to come.”

Reardanz has been Port CEO since November 2014. Previously, he served as the port's Deputy Executive Director. Before coming to Everett, he worked as municipal legal advisor at the city of Bellingham and project manager for the city’s Waterfront District Development, a joint venture with the Port of Bellingham.

The commission directed staff to enter contract talks with the Port’s Deputy Executive Director Lisa Lefeber with the intent of promoting her to port director role. Lefeber was Acting CEO in 2018 when Reardanz was deployed to Afghanistan.

LA, LB Seek Public Opinion on Truck Emissions

By Karen Robes Meeks

The public is asked to weigh in on a proposed fee structure that could incentivize truck fleets to curb air pollution at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles.

The proposed fee structure is part of the ports updated Clear Air Action Plan (CAAP) which requires that new trucks registered to operate at the ports as of Oct. 1, 2018, be model year 2014 or newer.

Part of the 2017 CAAP Update also calls for a proposal to enact a rate in 2020 on all trucks coming into marine terminals, except for those that are near-zero or zero-emissions.

The Clean Truck Fund Rate Workshop, put on by the twin ports, is scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 1, at Banning’s Landing Community Center, 100 E. Water St. in Wilmington.

Visit www.cleanairactionplan.org for more details.

Oakland Leaders Announced

By Karen Robes Meeks

The Port of Oakland recently announced several leadership moves this month.

The Board of Port Commissioners selected Port Attorney Danny Wan as Acting Executive Director shortly after Executive Director Chris Lytle announced his retirement on July 19.

Wan, who has been port attorney since 2012, was deputy port attorney from 2004 to 2008 and formerly served on the Oakland City Council.

Assistant Port Attorney Michele Heffes will take over as Acting Port Attorney.

The board also chose Cestra “Ces” Butner to serve a third term on the board as president, re-elected Commissioner Andreas Cluver as First Vice President and selected first-year Commissioner Barbara Leslie as Second Vice President.