pmsa – Pacific Maritime Magazine

02 Apr

Longtime PMSA President Retires

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsmclaurin, newsmakers, pmsa

After nearly three decades leading the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association, the organization’s president, John McLaurin, officially retired March 29. McLaurin, who became PMSA president in 1995, has been a longtime advocate for the West Coast maritime industry, which has seen significant investment in port infrastructure, supply chain modernization and emissions reduction efforts. PMSA itself grew under McLaurin’s tenure, widening and unifying various trade groups in California and Washington under one voice and expanding the organization from an office in San Francisco to three locations in Long Beach, Calif., Oakland and Seattle. “John McLaurin leaves behind a legacy of success and…

26 Mar

L.A., Long Beach Rail Dwell Times Up, Truck Times Stable

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsdwelltimes, pmsa, pola, polb

The average time it took for a container to leave the Los Angeles and Long Beach seaports via rail in February rose significantly from the previous month, according to data released March 19 by the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association. Dwell time for containers leaving the ports by rail jumped from a 4.72-day average in January to a 6.26-day average in February, indicating that rail cargo is experiencing a rise in congestion, the association said. However, the average truck dwell time was 2.82 days in February, not drastically different from January’s 2.89-day average. “These truck dwell times for 2024 are near…

27 Feb

PMSA Report: Cargo Volumes Down at U.S. West Coast Ports in 2023

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newscargovolumes, pmsa, trade

In 2023, U.S. West Coast ports saw their loaded imports and exports fall from the previous year and the pre-pandemic levels of 2019, according to the latest West Coast Trade Report published Feb. 21 by Pacific Merchant Shipping Association. The seven U.S. West Coast seaports tracked by PMSA processed more than 10.3 million inbound loads last year. That’s 12.2% down from the previous year and down 5.4% from the pre-pandemic level of 2019. Meanwhile, the seven ports monitored by PMSA -- Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, San Diego and Hueneme in California and the Northwest Seaport Alliance gateway of Seattle…

27 Feb

USCG Sector Puget Sound Launches Effort to Curb Vessel Traffic’s Impact on Whales

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newscargovolumes, pmsa, pugetsound, trade, uscg, vts, whales

The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound is engaging in a four-year pilot program that is expected to help minimize the vessel traffic impact on endangered whales in the Salish Sea, the agency announced Feb. 21. Hosted in the Puget Sound Vessel Traffic Service (VTS), the program allows for the Coast Guard to get whale sighting reports from mariners and give close to real-time information on whale locations to mariners through a whale report alert system, according to the Guard. The Coast Guard said that it plans to work closely with international, federal, tribal and state entities as well as…

23 Jan

L.A.-Long Beach Port Truck Dwell Time Steady, Rail Dwell Time Up: PMSA

Pacific Maritime MagazineNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsdwelltimes, pmsa

The average time cargo lingered at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach before leaving by truck remained steady last month, however the average time for rail-bound cargo rose in December, according to data released Jan. 18 by the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association. Cargo traveling by truck stayed at the ports an average of 2.69 days last month, down slightly from 2.78 days in November. Meanwhile, cargo departing by rail stayed on the docks an average of 4.98 days in December, up from the 3.9 day-average recorded in November, according to the PMSA. For containers that lingered for more…

02 Jan

Monthly Truck, Rail Dwell Times Drop at LA, Long Beach Ports

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefsdwelltimes, pmsa

The amount of time that cargo dwelled at the Los Angeles and Long Beach seaports before leaving via truck or by rail was down in November compared to the previous month, according to data released Dec. 15 by the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association. Truck-bound cargo lingered an average of 2.78 days at the ports in November, a normal dwell time range for truck-bound cargo, PMSA said. November’s number is down from the 3.21 day average in October, according to PMSA. Meanwhile, rail-bound cargo stayed an average of 3.90 days at terminals, down from 5.14 days during October. Also, 6.4% of…

28 Nov

Dwell Time at San Pedro Bay Ports Steady for Trucks, Down for Rail, Data Show

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsdwelltimes, pmsa, pola, polb

In October, the average length of time that cargo lingered at the Los Angeles and Long Beach seaports before leaving by train remained steady, while average rail-bound cargo dwell time fell, according to data released Nov. 20 by the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association. The average dwell time for truck-bound cargo last month was 3.21 days, slightly up from the three-day average in September. However, the average dwell time for cargo leaving by rail fell from 6.54 days in September to 5.14 days in October, according to PMSA. Last month, about 9.9% of local-bound cargo stayed for more than five days…

31 Oct

Cargo Dwell Time Increases at LA, Long Beach Ports

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsdwelltimes, pmsa, pola, polb

The average amount of time cargo dwelled at the Los Angeles and Long Beach seaports before leaving by rail rose last month, according to data released Oct. 24 by the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association. Rail-destined cargo lingered at L.A. and Long Beach terminals an average of 6.54 days in September, up significantly from the 4.45-day average recorded in August. Meanwhile, truck-bound cargo in September stayed an average of three days, a small uptick from the 2.89-day average in August, but still within the normal range of dwell time, PMSA said. “A factor contributing to the average dwell time for local…

03 Oct

PMSA Announces Leadership Transition

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsjohnmclaurin, mikejacob, pmsa

Pacific Merchant Shipping Association announced Sept. 26 that its vice president and general counsel, Mike Jacob, is taking the reins as president of the organization in 2024. The leadership change is due to longtime PMSA President John McLaurin stating that he intends to retire early next year. McLaurin, who has served as PMSA president for 28 years, lauded Jacob, who joined the organization in 2005. “Mike is ideally positioned to lead PMSA into the future during a time of profound change in the industry,” McLaurin said. “He has been a trusted partner and friend for almost 20 years. His strategic…

26 Sep

Dwell Times for Cargo Remain Low at LA, Long Beach Ports: PMSA

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsdwelltimes, pmsa, pola, polb

The average amount of time cargo containers remained at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach before being moved along the supply chain remained low last month, according to data released Sept. 20 by the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association. The average dwell time of cargo lingering at the twin seaports before leaving by truck was 2.89 days in August, slightly lower than the average of 3.08 days in July, the data show. “The August truck dwell time is within the normal range and is an indicator that the supply chain is operating smoothly,” PMSA said. As for rail-bound cargo,…