Ports of LA and Long Beach Testing Expanded Container Pickup Hours

In an attempt to combat growing congestion, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have begun a trial run of expanded container pickup hours. The Port of Los Angeles is testing weekend gate hours while the Port of Long Beach is trying out nighttime hours. Both ports hope to clear container congestion at terminals and reduce dwell times.

As Many as 70 Vessels Waiting Outside LA-LB

While the ports deal with container pileups, more vessels than ever are sailing across the pacific from Asia. The result is a worsening traffic jam at San Pedro Bay that has already broken the previous record. The latest counts show 70 or more container ships waiting to berth – many of which are drifting as anchorages are full.

LA-LB Volume Surpasses Hong Kong

According to data reported by The Loadstar, recent volume surges at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have propelled the complex past Hong Kong as the world’s ninth busiest. Throughput is up significantly year over year, as evidenced by the ports’ current congestion woes. By contrast, the Port of Hong Kong grew only by only 1.6 percent.

Container Dwell at Rail Yards on Rise

Container dwell times at rail yards throughout the country are growing. According to Transport Topics, it currently takes 16 days for a container to be picked up from a railyard. The industry average dwell is 9.8 days – up significantly from previous months.

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