PierPass releases third and fourth week numbers

PierPass releases third and fourth week numbers    The number of boxes moving at night out of the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles has exceeded expectations through the first three weeks of a plan to extend truck gates hours.
   PierPass, which administers the extended-hours program at the ports, said 31.1 percent of containers moving through the ports Aug. 10-12, and 29.6 percent of containers moving Aug. 1-4, did so during the 6 p.m.-to-3 a.m. shift, higher than the 15 to 20 percent projections for the first year of the program, which started July 23.
   The Saturday day shift has, so far, been the most used new shift, while Tuesdays have seen the highest number of boxes move during any of the four new night shifts. The Maersk terminal in Los Angeles, the biggest in the port complex, has had the highest percentage of boxes moving at night or on Saturday: including 43 percent last week through Wednesday night.
   PierPass Chief Executive Officer Bruce Wargo noted in a memo to a program working group that minor issues still need to be ironed out.
   'We have heard that longshoremen at certain terminals are taking long dinner hours and will be addressing that particular issue. We value the support from the shippers and truckers on this matter.'
   PierPass officials urged truckers to arrive at 7 p.m. or later to avoid the crush of trucks that are tending to arrive when the free, off-peak shift begins at 6 p.m.
   Exporters have also complained about delays in billing processing (import and export containers are charged $40-per-TEU fee if they move during the daytime shift), so Wargo suggested they set up EDI links with terminal operators whenever possible, or use the PierPass Web site (https://www.pierpass.org/) to track individual containers by their booking numbers. An import container won't be released from a terminal during the day until the PierPass fee is paid, nor will an export container be allowed in until the fee is paid.
   PierPASS also announced extended the hours of its customer service center, which is now open Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. through 3:00 a.m. (Pacific standard time) and on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m.