Tentative US West Coast Port Contract Deal Reached
potential labor disruptions during the negotiations. It also comes as drought conditions affecting the Panama Canal make it more difficult and expensive to send goods from China to those alternate ports.The agreement "brings the stability and confidence that customers have been seeking," Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said on Twitter. "We look forward to collaborating with our partners in a renewed effort to bring back cargo."(Reuters - Reporting by Lisa Baertlein and Kanjyik Ghosh; Editing by Christopher Cushing, Michael Perry & Simon Cameron-Moore
White House Says West Coast Port Negotiations Show Some Progress
work during talks, but one LA union local recently said its members "had taken it upon themselves to voice their displeasure" after feeling snubbed by employers."This is what (an) impasse in bargaining looks like. Both sides are probably disappointed, upset, frustrated," said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka.Still, he added, "We've only had a handful of bad days."On Saturday ILWU President Willie Adams reiterated the union's intention of reaching an agreement.If talks fall apart, mediation fails and port operations cease, Biden can invoke federal
Business Group Urges Biden to Intervene in West Coast Ports Labor Dispute
the pandemic cargo boom. They also want added compensation for the hours worked since their contract expired.Meanwhile, operations at major ports appear to have returned to normal after nearly a week of sporadic labor slowdowns and stoppages.Workers reported for duty on Thursday and Friday at the Port of Los Angeles, the nation's busiest container terminal, officials said."Operations going into the weekend seem to be the most normal they've been" since labor disruptions started late last week, Los Angeles port spokesman Phillip Sanfield said, adding that the port has limited weekend
Retailers, Manufacturers Urge White House to Mediate in West Coast Ports Labor Dispute
International LLC (TTI) canceled appointments on Monday. That facility is majority owned by container shipping giant Mediterranean Shipping Company SA (MSC).Representatives from TTI and the longshore union, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.All terminals were open at the Port of Los Angeles, the nation's busiest, and at Oakland, California, representatives said.Meanwhile, National Association of Manufacturers CEO Jay Timmons on Twitter also implored the White House to act.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the administration continues to closely monitor the
Top US Shipping Gateway Mostly Closes Due to Port Worker Shortage
ports, said in a statement.Operators at the Port of Long Beach decided to temporarily close four of the seaport's six terminals when workers did not show up on Friday morning, port spokesman Lee Peterson said, adding that regular operations at the seaport were expected to resume on Saturday.Port of Los Angeles officials were communicating with the ILWU and PMA, along with federal, state and local officials, to "support a return to normal operations," said the group, which is managed by a unit of the City of Los Angeles.Union workers at the ports have been on the job without an employment
Beth Rooney Named Director of Port of New York and New Jersey
will assume the role on May 2 following three years as the ports Deputy Director and more than three decades of experience. She has been with the Port Department since 1993.Together, Ruda and Rooney have led the East Coast’s busiest and largest seaport, and third in the nation behind the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach. Under their leadership, the port has achieved record-breaking volumes while navigating significant challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and global supply chain disruptions, maintaining fluid operations at a time other large ports have seen significant backlogs
Port of LA Names New Chief Harbor Engineer
The Port of Los Angeles announced it has appointed Dina Aryan-Zahlan to Chief Harbor Engineer, lead of the Port’s Engineering Division. Aryan-Zahlan replaces David Walsh who retired in December 2021.Aryan-Zahlan most recently served as the Port’s Assistant Chief Harbor Engineer since 2015, where she oversaw the planning, development and design of infrastructure and facilities that support the diverse operations of the nation’s busiest seaport, including wharves, terminals, rail, roadways, and public space.A public servant with more than 30 years of experience as an engineer, Aryan-Zahl
US Port's Supply Chain Fix Challenge: Selling 24/7 Shifts
The Port of Los Angeles is beginning the hard work of convincing terminal operators, importers, warehouses owners and trucking firms to embrace moving more cargo at night."It's not a single lever we can pull today to open up all the gates," Executive Director Gene Seroka said on Thursday.On Wednesday, the White House gathered stakeholders including retailers Walmart and Home Depot, logistics firms United Parcel Service and FedEx, and electronics supplier Samsung. The companies pledged to use more overnight workers to ease the backups at the Los Angeles and Long Beach port complex that is
Port of LA Promotes Libatique
The port of Los Angeles has promoted David Libatique to deputy executive director of stakeholder engagement, a position on the port’s executive management team.In this new role, Libatique will oversee government affairs, trade development, community relations, media relations and the labor relations and workforce development divisions at the port.David Libatique (Photo: Port of Los Angeles)“We’re very excited to elevate David to this new role,” said port executive director, Gene Seroka. “Since joining the port in 2011, he has been a valuable member of our team and a
Port of LA on Pace to Surpass 9 Mln TEU in 2017
The Port of Los Angeles said it is on pace to become the Western Hemisphere’s first-ever port to move 9 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEU) in a single year, following strong box volumes in the month of October. Although October 2017 container volumes were down 8.1 percent from 2016’s record-setting figure, the 748,762 TEU moved last month propelled the port to its third busiest October ever and kept it on track to surpass last year’s annual total. L.A. moved 7,639,756 TEU in the first 10 months of 2017, up 6.4 percent compared to the same period in 2016, which
How Can the Marine Industry Counteract Its Aging Workforce?
Awareness Week) and Subsea U.K., all with the purpose to educate younger people about the maritime opportunities available to them and the benefits a career at sea can bring. Some ports world have taken the initiative to partner up with training colleges and universities, for example the Port of Los Angeles partners with California State Dominguez Hills, offering vocational logistics programs enabling the port to compete effectively and build the next generation of employees. This is a great way both to offer work-based training with sought after skills and better job prospects at the end of
Port Automation Puts Labor on Notice
to handle more containers with the same workforce, who will be doing different jobs in the future.” He also predicted that the overall workforce will stay steady, but as the volume (TEUs) grows, the amount of labor required per containers will be less. In a report released in 2014, the Port of Los Angeles laid out in stark detail the extent to which automation will likely cut labor cuts, estimating reductions of 40 to 50 percent, or as many as 160-200 jobs, once its semi-automated TraPac facility comes fully online. That’s about half TraPac’s 2011 longshoreman workforce. If the
Christensen, Farren Join Port of Long Beach
; The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners this week appointed port industry veterans Michael Christensen and Glenn Farren to newly created management positions to enhance cargo flow and service at the Port of Long Beach. Christensen, who most recently was Deputy Executive Director at the Port of Los Angeles, was appointed Port of Long Beach’s Senior Executive for Supply Chain Optimization, reporting directly to Chief Executive Jon Slangerup. Farren, who was General Manager for Hapag-Lloyd America, will be Long Beach’s Director of Tenant Services and Operations, a new position created
Bleavins Named CFO at Port of LA
The Port of Los Angeles has appointed Marla Bleavins as its Chief Financial Officer. Bleavins will oversee the port’s financial affairs, which include accounting, financial management, debt and treasury, risk management and audit functions. She will manage approximately 60 employees and report to Molly Campbell, Deputy Executive Director of Finance and Administration. Bleavins replaces Karl Pan, who retired last week after 11 years with the City of Los Angeles, including the last six years at the port. Bleavins most recently served as the Assistant General Manager for
Port of LA Searches for New Executive Director
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced the launch of a global executive search to fill the the top post at the Port of Los Angeles. Under Mayor Garcetti’s direction, the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners established an ad hoc search committee to oversee the process, which is comprised of Harbor Commission President Vilma Martinez and Commission Vice President David Arian. “The Port of Los Angeles is a critical economic driver of our region and plays a central role in L.A.’s reputation as a global city and leading Pacific Rim trade gateway,” said Mayor
