POLB provides visibility into vessel traffic

Port of Long Beach’s new website page shows vessels at berth and anchorage.    The Port of Long Beach on Monday launched a new page on its website to help users, vendors and other interested parties better understand how busy the port is and where vessels are located. The “Vessels at a Glance” page features a daily update showing all vessels at berth and anchor within the port, as well as their arrival and departure dates and length of stay in Long Beach.
   Much of the information is the same as that provided to subscribers by the Marine Exchange of Southern California, but now that information is more easily accessible to the public.
   The new page includes charts updated weekly showing the number of vessels at anchor at both Los Angeles and Long Beach, as well as trends for the last six months.
   As of Wednesday, the number of container ships at anchor at the two ports has dropped to nine from a high of 28 on March 14 that was due, in part, to the gridlock caused by the recent dock labor contract dispute between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and their employers, represented by the Pacific Maritime Association. According to a statement from Port of Long Beach, terminals are making progress digging out from overcapacity conditions now that longshoremen are working full time again.