FMC: Terminals should modify agreement to reflect appointment system

Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Mario Cordero applauded efforts to fight gate congestion at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, but wants terminals to amend their agreement with the FMC.    Reacting to an announcement by PierPass this week that 10 container terminals in the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are planning mandatory appointments for drayage drivers, Mario Cordero, the chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission, said Thursday that reducing turn time and queue time at container terminals for truckers is a key concern of his and, “Whatever is done to alleviate that issue is a good thing.”
   Cordero said he had no information about the particulars of the plan beyond a press release issued by PierPass that said the system will become mandatory immediately for drivers picking up imports at five terminals that already have appointment systems, and that five additional terminals will join them next year.
   “As to the question as to whether they need to file all that information with the FMC, from what I read, it seems to me if they are now going to agree as to the standard for an appointment system, given that all 10 terminals are involved, then in my mind there is need a file an amendment with the FMC for review, because there are going to be questions with regard to this,” he said.
   While PierPass said five of the terminals already have appointment systems, Cordero said “it’s been sporadic, everybody appears to have their own guidelines. Now it appears to be universal.”
   He noted that the FMC has been pushing for transparency and input from stakeholders and said it would be interesting to know whether the terminals had meetings with truckers and ports prior to implementing the system.
   “The good news is there appears an effort being made to address these ongoing issues of congestion,” said Cordero.
   John McLaurin, president of the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association, which represents the interests of carriers and terminals on the West Coast, said, “I think the announcement by PierPass is a positive development for the supply chain. Given that a number of terminals already have appointment systems and that the PierPass effort will increase the number of terminals using appointment systems with approximately a year of notice, I think that allows everyone time enough to take advantage of it.”