Port of Long BeachTen PierPass container terminals have agreed to coordinate a truck appointment system at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
Appointments will be mandatory for import containers at participating terminals and the system is being evaluated for exports. The individual terminal appointment systems will be accessible via links from PierPass’ websites.
The five terminals currently operating appointment systems have agreed to adopt the same requirements and five more terminals will introduce appointment systems next year with the same guidelines.
PierPass President John Cushing said appointment systems are among the methods terminals are embracing to fight congestion. “The increasing number of containers unloaded by larger new ships has put the traditional random-access system – where any truck can arrive at any time to pick up any container – under strain,” Cushing said.
The terminals planning to add appointment systems in 2016 are Trapac, Long Beach Container Terminal, SSA Terminals at Long Beach or Pier A, International Transportation Service and Pacific Maritime Services.
APM Terminals, Eagle Marine Services, West Basin Container Terminal, Seaside Transportation Services and Total Terminals International currently have appointment systems.
The California Trucking Association applauded the move to implement uniform guidelines for appointments. The CTA said its members advocate a port-wide, uniformly enforceable appointment system that will track the performance of each system and its operational benefits at each terminal.
