Billions to be invested by US ports to improve efficiency

2015 was a year full of congestion for U.S. West Coast ports, as they struggled to handle backed up vessels, long truck queues and marine terminals full of containers. The Journal of Commerce reports on a July Federal Maritime Commission study that accounts the issues facing all major U.S. entryways, including marine terminal and roadway congestion, due in part to the lack of an effective strategy to handle the large ships deployed by carrier alliances.

The problem is compounded by poor on-time performance of shipping lines, which creates vessel clustering on the water, and truck clustering on land. Also, countless terminals were intended to handle 5,000-TEU vessels instead of the 10,000 to 14,000-TEU ships normally used today. Similarly, a problematic workforce and port congestion are taking a toll at main entryways, particularly on the West Coast.

In 2014, Los Angeles-Long Beach and New York-New Jersey handled 47.7% of loaded containers traveling through U.S. ports.

In response to the congestion problems, ports and terminal operators are investing billions of dollars in development of marine terminals and inter-modal rail and roadway systems. With branches in both Los Angeles and New York, and throughout the United States, CFR Classic is uniquely equipped to be a major power player in the U.S. shipping industry. A wide network of experienced truck drivers, along with industry-leading steel loading systems and real-time tracking, allow us to move a wide array of cargo quickly and efficiently domestically and internationally.