Port of Oakland: Ship queue has disappeared

The Norther California port warned, however, that vessel backlogs could reoccur if more longshore labor is not added.    The Port of Oakland said Monday there is no longer a queue of container ships waiting to tie up at its terminals.
   The port reported no vessels at anchor waiting for berths at its five marine terminals for the sixth straight day after a summer-long buildup of ships in the San Francisco Bay.
   “The vessels waiting to berth have been declining the past three weeks,” said Maritime Director John Driscoll. “Ships are arriving in Oakland and going straight to berth – just what our customers need and how we expect the Port to operate every day.”
   As many as 13 ships filled the San Francisco Bay anchorage in July. They were delayed by a labor shortage that slowed vessel loading and unloading in port. Since then, the number of vessels at anchor has steadily dwindled.
   The port said an influx of additional longshore labor over the past six weeks has helped eliminate the backlog. About 150 more dockworkers are joining the work force to accelerate vessel operations in Oakland. They’re being augmented by more than 300 casual or part-time workers. Another 30 marine clerk positions are being created as well.
   In the past four days, all requests for labor have been filled at Port of Oakland marine terminals. For much of the summer, only 50 percent to 70 percent of labor orders were filled, according to the port.
   The port cautioned, however, that vessel backlogs could reoccur until all longshore labor reinforcements are in place. That could take another four-to-six weeks.
   “Growth in the labor force is expected to be completed in time for the autumn peak shipping season,” the port said in a statement.
   Terminal operators have proposed a plan, dubbed OakPass, for opening their terminals on Saturday, proposing to the Federal Maritime Commission that they fund weekend operations via a fee collected on containers moving through the port during the day Monday through Friday.
   The port said a common pool of container chassis to help harbor truckers move containers more quickly has also been proposed.