Container ship delays at the ports

RockChucker said:
@Hickey why is there seemingly an influx of ships now? Suppliers overseas finally caught up on backlogged orders? Has there been an ebb and flow of ships arriving?
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My understanding is the problem started with longshoremen being short handed, not enough guys on the ground to efficiently unload the container ships. They're also strong Union guys and have a set work schedule, so they worked what they had to, no more. Combine that with a shortage of truck drivers and you have a bottle neck that gets worse as time goes on.
 
Read an article today - seems as though CA is a central factor in making this happen:

"The trucking issue with California LA ports, ie the Port of Los Angeles (POLA) and the Port of Long Beach (POLB), is that all semi tractors have to be current with new California emissions standards. As a consequence, that mean trucks cannot be older than 3 years if they are to pick up or deliver containers at those ports. This issue wipes out approximately half of the fleet trucks used to move containers in/out of the port. Operating the port 24/7 will not cure the issue, because all it does is pile up more containers that sit idle as they await a limited number of trucks to pick them up."
 
California laws are definitely part of the problem.

Walmart just recently required all 10k plus of our drivers to be trained on hauling containers. We've had a select few drivers that have been involved in that before now, and Walmart has owned their own containers for several years. I'm curious what this new training means for me, as I don't actually go into the Sea Port to get my loads.

I've only hauled one container in my 15 years with them, and that was for a specific short term problem.
 
Hickey said:
California laws are definitely part of the problem.

Walmart just recently required all 10k plus of our drivers to be trained on hauling containers. We've had a select few drivers that have been involved in that before now, and Walmart has owned their own containers for several years. I'm curious what this new training means for me, as I don't actually go into the Sea Port to get my loads.

I've only hauled one container in my 15 years with them, and that was for a specific short term problem.
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Looks like you're going to the port in California to pick up Christmas now :D
 
Hickey said:
It won't be changed quickly. The upset in supply chain caused by the Covid mess will ripple within our economics for years. Shortages in labor and parts are constantly creating bottlenecks in the flow. Simple parts shortages can take out a key piece of equipment for months at a time. We have trucks that sit awaiting parts for repair for up to six months now. My truck took two months to repair after my accident. The repair shop told us they needed 3 days to repair it, once they got the part in. That shop was true to their word, and I had my truck one week after the parts arrived.

As a consumer, you will only see the shelves at stores missing their full product lines. I don't think those shortages are as bad as the great TP famine of 2020, just more pervasive across the spectrum of products.


As far as the backlog of container ships itself, it will just take time. There are only so many people to process those ships, and only so many pieces of specialized equipment like the big cranes that off load the containers from the ships. I assure you they have all been working as much as possible for a year now, despite what the media and politicians will tell you.
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We bought a Lazy Boy recliner with a 6 to 9 month delivery and a Sleep Number mattress with 3 month delivery. Both made in the good old USA and not caused by parts but because of backlog in orders. The shelves here in Utah seem to be full but family on both coasts say they are having problems getting some items.
So it looks like inflation and Covid are the big culprits?
 
Any chance this could mean that I can get a container locally for cheaper than before? I had heard previously that empty containers were stacking up out west, I had suspected that would've mean a big drop in price, but haven't seen anything lately.
 
Diesel_Zuk said:
Any chance this could mean that I can get a container locally for cheaper than before? I had heard previously that empty containers were stacking up out west, I had suspected that would've mean a big drop in price, but haven't seen anything lately.
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I'm hoping for this as well, but we're gonna have to wait and see for a while until the market normalizes.
 
I didn't realize Long Beach had laws against stacking containers more than 2 high. That's horribly in efficient for an area that is so crowded with containers.

www.freightwaves.com

City of Long Beach allows logistics companies to stack containers higher

Many media outlets are reporting that a Long Beach city order will allow bigger container stacks at the port. Not true. It’s for container yards outside the harbor district.
www.freightwaves.com www.freightwaves.com
 
Greg said:
Pretty interesting development with relief efforts to take pressure off the port by bringing containers to Utah.


www.freightwaves.com

Port of Long Beach sets up rail relief valve in Utah

The Port of Long Beach is trying to innovate its way out of container gridlock. The latest move is regular shuttle trains to Utah to reduce less efficient truck moves.
www.freightwaves.com www.freightwaves.com
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The headline makes it seem like this was a sudden change for the good. Utah and the pacific ports have been working toward this since 2018. It should alleviate some traffic on I-15 coming from So Cal to Utah.
 
I made a little time lapse of the closest I get to a port. This is a freight consolidator we use in South Gate, CA. The freight comes in on containers and this facility separates it for different destinations and loads it on our trailers. I won't leave this up for more than a few days.


The video is a time lapse of about 50 minutes inside this facility.

I wait in line at the entrance and slide my trailer tandems to the rear most position.

Then I pull forward and get my load paperwork.

Then I pull forward and to the left to drop my empty trailer for the yard hostler to stage it to be loaded.

Then I turn right and go find my loaded trailer. It's parked behind the orange container trailer and I have to wait for a hostler to pull the orange one out of my way.

I back under my loaded trailer and slide the tandems forward to California legal length.

Then I head for the exit... Which is now in a different place than the last several times I've been to this facility. Apparently I'm supposed to read their minds.

Then I enter LA traffic. It took me 1:52 to drive 47 miles into this facility from Mira Loma yesterday morning.
 
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