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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFrom the Port of Long Beach - a twitter thread
First and FYI, Ryan Petersen is CEO of Flexport and Flexport is a freight forwarding and customs brokerage company based in San Francisco, California. (per Wikipedia)
I thought this was an interesting read.
Link to tweet
Last night Flexport brought a taco truck to the Port of Long Beach as a big thank you to the ILWU laborers there working like crazy to clear this container backlog. A thread on what we learned! /1
First off, they told us that Flexport is the first outside company in the history of the port to send in a food truck as a sign of gratitude. They loved it. /2
During our evening at the port only one truck showed up. The 24/7 gates don't matter if nobody comes to pick up the containers. Big opportunity for companies that can operate their receiving facilities at night and send trucks to the port when there is no line. /3
For all of second shift they are seeing 50 trucks or less on most nights. Trucks arent even coming in after midnights. They have had nights with zero trucks. Despite that, appointments are full. They have so many no-shows they dont know how to plan the yard. /4
No pulls mean a full yard. Between dwelling imports and empties, there is no room to place new containers in the yard. A ship they would normally work with 4-6 cranes they have 2 on. /5
Those 2 are still pumping 30+ containers an hour, but they cant push more because the containers have nowhere to go. /6
They are loading empties out. That isnt a restriction. But with only 2 cranes they run out of time and have to cut the ship loose. /7
Rail has caught up. They have almost no rail containers left waiting to go out. This is a huge win and freed up additional yard space (which quickly filled). /8
Equipment is an issue. The one spot they are truly short labor is on maintenance. Spare parts are in short supply. So even if they did ramp into full ops they would struggle with yard equipment. *But there are chassis. /9
A lot of them are dedicated to one carrier but they do have chassis. The problem though is as they issue them out, and they break, there is no way to fix them. /10
Those chassis are for an on-wheels premium service but they cant put the containers onto the chassis because they have nowhere to park the chassis. /11
They are not intentionally slow working. COVID is not an issue. There is no intentional labor slowdown. They want more shifts. They want to work. /12
But also even if they went to 24/7 ops is would just look like more of the above. They dont have enough skilled labor and management to work full out 24/7. How long would it take to get there? A year or more. Less working, after all, means fewer training opportunities. /13
Quick to note that they blame no one. Really, they dont. They find it all very interesting but at the end of the day they clock in, do their jobs, and go home to their families. They truly love the work and are proud of what they are doing. /14
Big shoutout to the Flexport LA team that pulled this taco Tuesday together and approached the workers with such empathy that we got this very clear picture of life on the ground right now. It's so easy to point fingers in the midst of a crisis. /15
Super important that we continue to gather the best real time insights (observe), put that information in context with the right people who need to know (orient), make decisions (decide), take decisive action (act). /16
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From the Port of Long Beach - a twitter thread (Original Post)
Nittersing
Oct 2021
OP
Thank you, Nittersing. It is very interesting. That last works for everyone. :)
Hortensis
Oct 2021
#2
spanone
(135,795 posts)1. K&R...
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)2. Thank you, Nittersing. It is very interesting. That last works for everyone. :)
"Super important that we continue to gather the best real time insights (observe), put that information in context with the right people who need to know (orient), make decisions (decide), take decisive action (act)."
Here "take decisive action (act)" would be post. Or pass.
Here "take decisive action (act)" would be post. Or pass.
questionseverything
(9,645 posts)3. So the problem is
We need truckers to work at night?
Nittersing
(6,347 posts)5. Well, looks like that's part of the equation.
I think truck drivers are in high demand right now.
Also short on maintenance labor. And parts.
I'm glad to get a little more insight beyond "the supply chain is a screwed up!!"
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)4. My immediate thought when Pres. Biden announced 24/7 operations:
"Where will you instantly get triple the workers?"
A year seems somewhat more realistic.
ms liberty
(8,558 posts)6. Interesting. Marking. n/t