Excerpts from the Journal of Commerce:
U.S. Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Mario Cordero expects congestion at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to ease in the next couple weeks, but, in the meantime, he said the agency is scrutinizing the PierPass program.
Cordero, who spent most of Tuesday in Southern California talking to drayage drivers frustrated with turns times that in some cases exceed three hours … has strongly encouraged PierPass to temporarily waive fees for its off-peak program.
PierPass and its 13 marine terminal operator members have resisted, arguing a moratorium on fees would reduce the incentive for shippers to move their goods in-and-out of the terminal on off-peak hours and make them unable to pay for operating night shifts.
He added that the FMC plans in the spring to issue a report on the findings of four hearings held across the country. The hearings, which were planned before the gridlock at LA-Long Beach, have given the agency a better understanding of what’s causing port congestion, ranging from chassis dislocation to larger vessels discharging more cargo in shorter windows.