Congestion at the U.S. Southern California ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach is spreading north and east. Shipping companies are pre-empting the congestion at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to reroute to Oakland for berths, and long lines are starting to form for ships waiting to enter the Port of Oakland.
According to the Port of Oakland, both Los Angeles and Long Beach are experiencing delays, with 60 ships currently moored outside the port, meaning they cannot arrive in Oakland as scheduled. In addition, Oakland currently has reduced berth capacity while new, larger cranes are being assembled. In addition, the port said its export slots have been reduced as shipping companies look to ship empty containers back to Asia.
In a statement, Oakland said that in January, imports fell 11.9 percent and exports fell 11.3 percent, an “anomaly” as imports into the California region increased due to consumer demand. As a result, the Port Authority expects cargo volumes to increase in the coming months as vessel congestion eases.
Many cargoes are stuck on ships waiting to arrive here after leaving Southern California,” said Bryan Brandes, maritime director at the Port of Oakland. Our concern is to get the cargo to our customers as quickly as possible.”
In addition to port congestion, U.S. land-based freight is not looking good.
According to the American Transportation Research Institute’s (ATRI) annual list of congestion hotspots for carriers and drivers, Houston tops the list of the top 100 congestion locations for U.S. trucking, followed closely by Atlanta and Los Angeles.