12 thoughts on “Random Pic”

  4. Do we have a current logistics discussion going? No? OK, then I’ll use this post then…
    Can someone explain to me how this won’t make the port situation worse?
    https://gcaptain.com/ports-of-los-angeles-and-long-beach-to-begin-charging-ocean-carriers-for-excessive-container-dwell-times-at-terminals/
    “The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have announced a plan to begin charging a daily fee to ocean carriers for import containers that linger in marine terminals.
    The new charges are part of an effort by the ports, developed in coordination with the Biden Administration, to improve cargo movement amid congestion and record volumes since the second half of last year.
    Under the new policy, the ports will charge ocean carriers, starting at $100 per container per day, for containers that fall into one of two categories; containers scheduled to move by truck and those moving by rail.”

    Won’t this make ships stop unloading their cargo? I suppose in theory that would mean that the containers currently on shore could be moved out, but doesn’t it just result in a growing backlog of unloaded ships? How does this possibly help anything?

  6. Brian…from the Journal of Commerce:

    “Port managers who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the fee is designed to force carriers to pressure retailers and other customers to retrieve their laden import containers quickly in order to open up space at the 12 LA-LB marine terminals, so vessels can be brought to berth and worked more efficiently. A port manager said he estimates about 40 percent of the containers that land in LA-LB would be subject to the excessive dwell fee.”

    and

    “A terminal operator who did not want to be identified called the penalty a “super demurrage” fee that he fears will lead to “instant gridlock” at the Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex. There is already a severe chassis shortage in Southern California affecting the ability of truckers to remove imported containers from the terminals, and warehouses in the region are out of space so they cannot receive containers either.”

    Of course, most retailers or other consignees aren’t picking up their shipments directly at the port, they are receiving them either via a trucking line or via intermodal rail/truck. According to a letter a couple months ago from the BNSF CEO, there is already a shortage of intermodal unloading space in her Chicago railyard, so trains are waiting wherever space can be found on the RR to park them.

    The core problem seems to be a shortage of trucks and chassis.

  7. “The core problem seems to be a shortage of trucks and chassis.”
    And drivers, I believe. So how does this policy possibly help? Punish the maritime shipping company, to make them push on truck/rail companies, who are already hopelessly overwhelmed? Looks like something so dumb that only the mayor of some tiny college town could come up with…

  8. Reportedly, this lame-brained plan was devised in consultation with the “Biden-Harris Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force”.

    Presumably, this is the Task Force challenged with making sure there are disruptions?

    The logical response by marine carriers would be to refuse to load the containers onto their ships in China until they have been guaranteed rapid unloading & onwards transfer of the containers in California — rather like aircraft sometimes will be held at the departure airport by Air Traffic Control until there is a predicted open landing slot at the arrival airport. Maybe the effect will be to reduce the unsustainable Trade Deficit?

  10. OCD trigger warning needed. Pictures on back wall are off-kilter.

    Actually, I have CDO — like OCD, but the letters are finally in the right order. :)

  11. Nathan, that was cute. :)

    It seems the dog is interested in neither the artwork nor the chairs. Headed somewhere with a purpose. That floor looks like it’s probably smooth as ice, so maybe the dog has learned from a previous experience not to try to run across it.

  12. Why is my dog in your picture (assuming its a Rhodesian Ridgeback)? And why only one, a house that size needs more dogs!

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