Ports of the Americas
Special Report
“ We ’ ve had to activate one of our two near-dock areas to handle the rail container backlog .”
Lawrence Gross , president and founder of Gross Transportation and a Journal of Commerce analyst , said record volumes play a major role in the surge of long-dwelling rail containers at the ports . He said that according to the Association of American Railroads , the week of Sept . 9 was the busiest for North American intermodal rail since June 2021 , and inland point intermodal ( IPI ) traffic is projected to remain strong at least through October .
“ If the volumes stay this strong for that long , then I think there will unavoidably be some problems — congestion , but not a meltdown ,” Gross said .
BNSF Railway had its busiest week for IPI moves in the week before Labor Day , and new record volumes are forecast for the first two weeks of October , said Jon Gabriel , BNSF ’ s vice president for innovation , service design and network strategy .
email : bill . mongelluzzo @ spglobal . com
‘ A cap on cargo ’
LA-LB port stakeholders urge mayors to act against proposed emissions rules
By Bill Mongelluzzo
Shippers , transportation interests and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union ( ILWU ) are urging the mayors of Los Angeles and Long Beach , Calif ., to lead the effort against the implementation of new regional air emissions rules they say will cap cargo growth at the largest US port complex .
In a letter dated Sept . 17 and sent to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson , some 200 port stakeholders said the ambitious plan by the regional South Coast Air Quality Management District ( AQMD ) to adopt a so-called Port Independent Source Rule ( ISR ) would fail to achieve the goal of a zero-emission port environment without first building the electric and hydrogen fuel infrastructure needed to fuel trucks , cargo-handling equipment and vessel operations .
“ There is broad agreement among stakeholders that it would be more effective and productive to forego a Port ISR and instead focus on an infrastructure and streamlined permitting program to support current and future needs related to zero-emission infrastructure and equipment ,” the letter said .
Ceri Breeze / Shutterstock . com
Port users are concerned that without the infrastructure needed to support a zero-emission environment , the industry ’ s only recourse to limit the annual number of vessel , truck and rail movements in the Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex and at warehouses throughout Southern California served by port traffic will be to cap cargo volumes .
“ We have the regulations in place . It doesn ’ t make sense to duplicate .”
The Pacific Merchant Shipping Association ( PMSA ), which represents terminal operators and shipping lines on the West Coast , echoed that view .
“ Without necessary infrastructure , the proposed Port ISR would result in a cap on cargo volumes and ultimately punish ports , marine terminal operators and supply chain workers who have already worked hard to reduce diesel pollution by 90 %,” the PMSA said in a Sept . 18 statement .
An existing regulatory framework from the US Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board ( CARB ) already limits emissions from cargo-handling equipment , trucks , locomotives , vessels and other port users , said Thomas Jelenic , a vice president at PMSA .
“ We have the regulations in place ,” Jelenic told the Journal of Commerce on Sept . 18 . “ It doesn ’ t make sense to duplicate the Rail ISR and existing CARB requirements .”
The AQMD board last month approved the Rail ISR , and the regulatory agency has said it will focus on the Port ISR in the first quarter of 2025 , according to Michele Grubbs , another PMSA vice president .
email : bill . mongelluzzo @ spglobal . com www . joc . com October 7 , 2024 | Journal of Commerce 27