Port of Oakland clears containership backlog

Vessels can come to berth without delay, according to a statement from the Northern California port.    The Port of Oakland said the backlog of ships waiting to berth at its terminals has disappeared. Ports up and down the West Coast experienced crippling congestion the last few months as contentious labor contract negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and their employers, represented by the Pacific Maritime Association, caused terminal productivity to plummet.
   “Today there are no vessels in San Francisco Bay or outside the Golden Gate awaiting berths,” the port said in a statement. “This is the first time since January that all ships calling Oakland have berthed without delay.”
    Port officials said it’s the strongest evidence yet that a West Cargo cargo slowdown is on the wane at Oakland. As recently as last month, up to 20 vessels a day were lined up waiting to dock. The ILWU and PMA reached a tentative labor agreement Feb. 20 and have since been working with ports to clear the backlog.
   “When a ship comes to Oakland, it goes straight to berth and we go straight to work loading and unloading,” said Port Maritime Director John Driscoll. “No more delays: that’s the message we’re sending to our customers and the shipping lines that carry their cargo.”
   The number of ships waiting for a berth in the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach has also dwindled.
   The Marine Exchange of Southern California said Thursday that there are 16 ships at anchor for congestion reasons outside the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, including nine containerships. That’s down from a high of 28 containerships on March 14.