Despite President Biden’s announcement Wednesday that the severely backlogged Port of Los Angeles would expand into 24/7 operating hours—similar to the Port of Long Beach—port officials are saying the backlog will continue until the summer of 2022.
Noel Hacegaba, deputy executive director of the Port of Long Beach, said expanding the ports’ operating hours will not impact the supply chain disruptions given the continued shortage of truck drivers, chassis equipment, and warehouse operations and space.
“We think it’ll be summer of 2022 before we clear all 60 ships,” Hacegaba told The Epoch Times Oct. 14. “Of course, if we take some measures now, and everyone in the supply chain starts expanding their hours of operation … we’re going to get there sooner.”
Hacegaba showed optimism that expanding port hours of operation will encourage the rest of the supply chain to step up their efforts.
“If we had the warehouse capacity, if we had enough truck drivers, enough trucks, enough chassis, to pull those containers, we wouldn’t have the 60 ships which are effectively serving as warehouses on the water. I mean, that’s what they’re doing. They’re storing these containers,” Hacegaba said.
Other experts are more pessimistic about the about the impact of Biden’s announcement, saying it will require a lot more than just the ports to solve the backlog.
“I think the Biden Administration looked at the low-hanging fruit [and finally took action],” said Sal Mercogliano, a professor of maritime industry policy at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy out of New York. “The move is better late than never … [but] should have been addressed sooner than this.”
Mercogliano said addressing one end of the supply chain does not solve the problem.
“Everything must be done simultaneously,” including not only addressing the current shortage of truck drivers, but increasing operations of receiving retailers as well, he said.
