The 30-acre depot, which was first approved by the commission Nov. 13, was set to expire March 31. But faced with a massive inventory that will take about three months to clear, officials felt the extension of the depot was necessary.
From the Long Beach Press Telegram:
The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners has extended for six months a permit with Pasha Stevedoring & Terminals L.P. to allow the company to manage the use of Pier S at the port as a temporary empty container depot and expand it to include storage of exports and chassis, or the wheeled trailers needed to move containers in and out of ports.
There’s an “ongoing effort to help our supply chain partners clear the backlog and return our port to normal operations as soon as possible,” said Noel Hacegaba, managing director of Commercial Operations at the Port of Long Beach. “Without question, this is our top priority.”
For the last several months, the port has been experiencing epic port congestion because of the arrival of larger ships carrying more cargo, the uneven distribution of chassis, a shortage of rail cars and a protracted labor dispute now resolved.
The combine effects mean weeks-long shipment delays which have prompted customers to divert cargo to other ports or ship goods by air.