West Coast ports-including several in the Bay Area-are a major economic asset, serving as the nation's premier trade gateway.
By Patrick Burnson
Published: October, 2016
West Coast ports—including several in the Bay Area—are a major economic asset, serving as the nation’s premier trade gateway.
These ports play critical roles supplying U.S. consumers with imported goods, handling exports from U.S. companies bound for other parts of the world and providing jobs and economic benefits to the state and communities along the trade corridors. Critical facts about the West Coast ports provide information about larger issues such as international trade and the performance of the U.S. economy.
To provide greater insight about the West Coast’s ports, the Oakland-based Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA) has begun to publish The West Coast Trade Report, a new monthly publication pulling relevant data from multiple sources and examining trends impacting the trade community and West Coast ports.
With insightful analysis by international trade economist Jock O’Connell, the publication will also include commentary on a variety of subjects including the supply chain, legislative and regulatory issues, and other information to help inform both industry and public officials.
“PMSA staff and Mr. O’Connell bring decades of experience from the industry and government that will be reflected in this new monthly publication,” said PMSA President John McLaurin.
For more information, see www.pmsaship.com.
Ma Featured at Women in Logistics Luncheon
The PMSA looms large in the news this month as it co-sponsors an important event with the local chapter of Women in Logistics. The fall luncheon featuring California Board of Equalization Chairperson Fiona Ma, at Scott’s Restaurant in Jack London Square on October 5, is certain to generate a lively discussion. Ma is the former majority whip of the California State Assembly and is running for California State Treasurer. She will share her insights into California’s financial position and what that means for transport infrastructure and logistics.
For more information, see www.womeninlogistics.org.
Major New Shipping Route Coming to Oakland
A new shipping route linking Asia and the United States will add weekly Port of Oakland stops beginning in November. Oakland, California’s third largest ocean cargo gateway, will become the sixth stop in the service operated by three Asian shipping lines.
The service, known as the Calco-C, connects ports in Vietnam, China and California. Port spokespeople expect to bring an additional 50 vessel arrivals to Oakland annually. If that is indeed the case, it would mean an increase in Oakland cargo volume by as much as 30,000 twenty-foot-containers (TEUs) a year. The port handled the equivalent of 2.28 million TEUs last year.
The announcement comes as the International Longshore and Warehouse Union negotiate in advance on new management contracts with the Pacific Maritime Association.
Volume growth could lead to more cargo-handling jobs in Oakland, the port said. Maritime Director John Driscoll also pointed out that the development may strengthen Oakland’s role in the Transpacific container trade.
The port said the service gives shippers more opportunity to import finished Asian goods such as wearing apparel and consumer electronics. It said exporters will gain new routes to Asia for commodities such as California agricultural products.
Oakland is the largest outbound port of agricultural products on the U.S. West Coast. Other ports in the service include Cai Mep in Vietnam; Xiamen, Yantian and Nansha in China; and the Port of Long Beach. The service is operated by Tokyo-based “K” Line, Taiwan’s Wan Hai Lines and Singapore’s Pacific International Lines.
Seven ships from the three ocean carriers are deployed on the service. Each has the capacity to carry between 8,000 and 9,000 20-foot containers. The vessels will make weekly calls at the port’s Oakland International Container Terminal beginning November 6.
Matson Earns Top Spot in Annual Quality Survey
Oakland’s Matson Navigation was again given the number one ranking by Logistics Management magazine and Peerless Research Group, whose annual Quest for Quality Awards survey of qualified buyers of transportation and logistics services is considered the most important measure of customer satisfaction and performance excellence in the industry.
The magazine’s 33rd annual survey this year drew almost 5,000 participants who rated transportation companies in all modes and service disciplines against the five criteria most valued by shipping customers: on-time performance; value; information technology; customer service; and equipment and operations.
Of the 11 domestic and foreign companies in the ocean carriers category, Matson came out on top of four of the five categories. Matson Logistics also earned another Quest for Quality Award this year, ranking second-highest and within one half-point of the top spot in the intermodal marketing companies category. Matson Logistics subsidiary Span Alaska also earned a Quest for Quality Award for its service in the regional LTL (less-than-truckload) carriers category.
Patrick Burnson is the Executive Editor of Logistics Management. (www.logisticsmgmt.com)
