“Congestion in Los Angeles-Long Beach has reached a crisis stage with 20 container ships stuck at anchor today in Long Beach

The Marine Exchange of Southern California reported that the vessels at anchor increased by four since Monday. Shipping lines say vessels in recent weeks have been sitting at anchor for seven to 14 days, and when they proceed to berth, it takes another six to eight days to work the ships. Vessels in the trans-Pacific have been thrown so far off schedule that at least one line has no vessels available to carry containers from Asia because all of its ships are stuck on the West Coast.

Conditions are not much better at other West Coast gateways. In fact, some lines are pulling back on their services to Oakland because of severe congestion at the Northern California port. In a service advisory to its customers on Jan. 30, Maersk Line reported that since the port “has hit a significant roadblock in its ability to service oceanborne cargo,” some future voyages will be terminated in Southern California, and Northern California cargo will be sent there via rail. The normal rotation in the Pacific Southwest is for vessels to call inbound in Los Angeles-Long Beach to discharge 80 percent or more of the containers, and then to stop in Oakland before proceeding back to Asia. Oakland reported four vessels at anchor and 14 outside of the Golden Gate Bridge on Tuesday.

Seattle and Tacoma are also terribly congested, with seven container vessels reported to be at anchor and awaiting berthing space. The PMA said the ILWU is hard-timing employers in Oakland and Seattle-Tacoma by reducing crane productivity from a historical level of about 28 container moves per crane, per hour”

This is hurting so many moving, shipping, logistics, freight forwarding and trucking businesses including UPakWeShip to service International Moves in and out of the West Coast. We are routing as much as possible through our Charleston terminal and containers via Houston but if you are moving to or from the west coast don’t wait until the last minute as there are delays and possible extra congestion and storage charges.

If you need more information call The Moving Doctor. 1 866 868 6386 or follow us on Twitter @UPAKWESHIP

www.upakweship.com

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