News

Thursday, 05 March 2015 16:40 |

3 MONTHS TO CLEAR THE BACKLOG ON THE WEST COAST PORTS

Despite additional efforts on the West Coast, it will take around three months to clear the massive container backlog according to the top executives of the Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach who were attending the Transpacific Maritime conference in Long Beach last Tuesday.

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Monday, 23 February 2015 15:46 |

U.S. WEST COAST PORTS : TENTATIVE AGREEMENT

After more than 9 months of negotiations and with assistance from the Secretary of Labor and the Federal Mediator, the PMA and the ILWU announced on Friday 2/20 a tentative agreement on a new 5-year contract. Now all 29 West Coast ports can resume full operations. However it will take many weeks to clear out the massive backlog of containers and ports congestion. The agreement is subject to ratification by both parties.

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Friday, 13 February 2015 15:22 |

PACIFIC MARITIME ASSOCIATION : VESSELS SUSPENSION between THU 2/12 to MON 2/16

The PMA members are temporarily suspending premium-pay weekend and holiday vessel operations as from Thursday FEB/12 (Lincoln’s Birthday) to Monday FEB/16 (Washington’s Birthday), while yard, gate and rail operations will continue at terminal operators’ discretion.

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U.S. TRUCK DRIVER SHORTAGE

Last March, the American Trucking Associations released its latest Driver Compensation Study showing driver pay has climbed as rising demand for freight transportation services has increased competition for increasingly scarce drivers.
The median salary for a truckload driver working a national, irregular route was over 53 K$ (+7K$ +15% since the last survey on 2013). A private fleet driver saw their pay rise to more than 86 K$ (+13K$ +18%).

In addition to rising pay, fleets were offering generous bonuses and benefit packages like paid leave, health insurance and 401(k)s to keep them to attract and keep drivers.
However, the shortage is still there and could be even higher than a year before. Last year, it was reported a shortage of 51,000 long-haul drivers and it could jump to 63,000 this year.
The US industry needs to add almost 1 million new drivers by 2024 to keep up with demand.
For the time being, trucking is unable to compete against other professions to attract younger talents and driving is the country’s deadliest occupation according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Some options :

Currently the law requires to be at least 21 to drive a large truck across state lines. A Department of Transportation pilot program will allow some drivers as young as 18 (but there is another safety concern : younger drivers have higher crash rates).

Women recruitment as they are only 6% of the nation’s drivers.

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US dockers and employers reach tentative contract agreement

Subject to the final approval from the members of the ILA (International Longshoremen’s Association) a six years agreement (through 2024) have just been reached with USMX (United States Maritime Alliance) for the US East and Gulf coast ports.

News

3 MONTHS TO CLEAR THE BACKLOG ON THE WEST COAST PORTS

U.S. WEST COAST PORTS : TENTATIVE AGREEMENT

PACIFIC MARITIME ASSOCIATION : VESSELS SUSPENSION between THU 2/12 to MON 2/16

U.S. TRUCK DRIVER SHORTAGE

US dockers and employers reach tentative contract agreement

Shipping environment and carriers concentration : HYUNDAI stops Transatlantic services by end of June