GPA extends agreement with Consolidated Chassis Management

As a result of the extended agreement, truckers will continue to have access to a common pool of chassis at the Port of Savannah.    The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) said Tuesday it has extended its multi-year agreement with Consolidated Chassis Management (CCM) to provide access to its South Atlantic chassis pool of “gray” chassis at the Port of Savannah, an arrangement that simplifies daily operations for port truckers and increases supply chain efficiency.
   CCM, which was formed several years ago by the Ocean Carrier Equipment Management Association and its 19 liner members, operates a co-op that enables chassis leasing companies and ocean lines with equipment to pool their assets in a shared fleet. The chassis owners can rent out as much equipment as they contribute to the enterprise, but the benefit for motor carriers is that they can pick up a chassis at a convenient location without regard to the actual owner. Consequently, this translates into fewer trips to different chassis company providers to exchange chassis for various jobs.
   The South Atlantic Consolidated Chassis Pool fleet can be used by trucking lines to serve any port terminal in the Southeast, as well as dozens of intermodal ramps.
   In response to massive congestion issues three years ago, port authorities in New York/New Jersey and Southern California brought together chassis providers to cooperate in the creation of shared equipment pools.
   “The gray pool model works for the South Atlantic, and continues to meet and exceed our expectations for sufficient, safe chassis available at any time,” GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch said in a statement. “This new agreement secures the future of the gray pool in our region.”
   Lynch said the arrangement provides shipping lines, trucking companies and cargo owners a level of confidence that chassis operations will remain consistent and reliable. “Other ports often have multiple, restricted pools,” he said. “In that type of operation, chassis may only be used to serve certain customers, and must be returned to specific locations before work for another customer may begin.”
   “A single gray chassis pool with full interchangeability improves both the efficiency and consistency of port operations,” CCM Senior Vice President of Operations Jon Poelma said.
   “End customers can negotiate directly with the chassis provider of their choice and then select any chassis on terminal. Such flexibility in choice is difficult elsewhere due to a lack of a single pool serving the region.”
   John Trent, GPA senior director of strategic operations and safety, said the common chassis fleet enhances port efficiency. “The gray fleet is another example of our operational model: a single-terminal complex in which customers and cargo move effortlessly through our gates, maintenance and service areas,” Trent said. “Our value proposition is that we provide faster, more efficient and cost effective services on a larger scale than the competition.”
   GPA’s agreement with the South Atlantic Chassis Pool includes allocating space to park chassis on terminal, for the convenience of motor carriers.
   “The gray pool accentuates the benefits of a common, single-terminal complex,” Lynch said. “The ‘one-stop shopping’ at our 1,200-acre Garden City Terminal is really the optimum in efficiency.”