Congestion at the Port of Oakland
As part of our effort to keep you abreast of changes in the international trade and freight forwarding industries, we felt it was necessary to provide an update about the congestion at the Port of Oakland. We’ve taken specific actions to counteract these challenges but you may wish to know what 2013 brought, especially where road and rail service meets sea service.
The following is a partial list of elements that can impact or slow down your freight, all of which are independent from standard U.S. Customs or other Agencies’ intensive delays:
1.) Truck driver strikes due to new state government initiatives requiring truckers upgrade their engines or buy new trucks to be air-quality compliant.
2.) Truckers have protested terminal company mergers, reducing headcount and productivity. These delays have occurred for both the retrieval of a container and for the return of empty containers.
3.) Port strikes protesting suggested work-rule changes, resulting in several days of stoppage time.
4.) Non-union ports such as Savannah and Charleston achieve an average of 40 crane lifts (containers on and off ships) per hour, while the Port of Oakland achieves only 28.
5.) Work stoppages occur in the event of longshoremen passing away – even if unrelated to port operations.
We support you, our colleagues at the Port of Oakland, and our partners who serve the transportation and storage needs of the beneficial cargo owners throughout the world. This is meant to show a brief snapshot of a few challenges that impact your freight. We are grateful for your trust in our professional position to manage the process on your behalf. We appreciate your continued support into the New Year and we very much appreciate your business.
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