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West Coast ports lost market share. Will they get it back?

May 8, 2023
Stung by supply chain breakdowns and worried about labor unrest, many shippers have rerouted goods to the Gulf of Mexico and East Coast.
Mario Tama/Getty Images

In the customs business, delays are becoming less common

Sep 12, 2022
As congestion eases at some ports, "we know the fixed date of when freight is arriving now," said customs broker Gretchen Blough.
 "Customs kind of takes a special kind of person.," says customs broker Gretchen Blough. “We’re kind of the Ally Sheedy of 'The Breakfast Club.'”
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

Ports tackle vessel "dwell times" to reduce backups

Jun 29, 2022
The Port of Oakland wants to shorten the stays of shipping containers at its marine terminals.
Dwell times for shipping containers at ports have risen dramatically during the pandemic.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Port unions have long bargained over disruptive innovations

Jun 17, 2022
The introduction of shipping containers half a century ago revolutionized the industry, and union strategy.
The shipping container was invented in 1956, and ended up changing the landscape of the industry.
Stephen Chernin/Getty Images

Why do two major West Coast ports rate last on a new ranking of facilities worldwide?

May 25, 2022
Experts point to inefficiency, lack of warehouse space and outdated technology.
U.S. ports aren't stacking up globally.
Patrick T Fallon/ AFP via Getty Images

Having soared throughout the pandemic, the cost of shipping declined in March

Apr 5, 2022
From the shipping slowdown in China to the excess of inventory on hand, there are a number of likely reasons for the drop.
Shipping hasn't slowed at the Port of Los Angeles, according to executive director Gene Seroka.
Mario Tama/Getty Images

How goes the inflation fight?

Dec 22, 2021
The White House has pushed changes at ports to fix supply chains and ease prices, but high demand for goods continues to exert pressure.
Though the Biden administration has pressed for changes at ports to improve goods transport and ease inflation, they're still not operating 24/7.
Mario Tama via Getty Images

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Prices will remain high, California warehouse owner predicts

Dec 16, 2021
David Erlanger is dealing with shipping delays and price increases the likes of which he hasn’t seen in his decades in the business.
David Erlanger at his main warehouse in Riverside, California. Business is good, but the conditions are challenging, he said.
Andie Corban/Marketplace

How omicron may affect China's ports, a key to the global supply chain

Dec 2, 2021
China's no-tolerance COVID-19 protocols may keep the variant at bay but may slow down shipping again.
If the omicron variant were to cause port shutdowns, they would likely coincide with Lunar New Year closures. Above, workers at a container port in Wuhan, China.
Getty Images

Mexican border town residents resilient despite pandemic isolation

Nov 23, 2021
When the border closed between Big Bend National Park and Boquillas in 2020, it separated residents from their main source of income.
Pre-pandemic, thousands of tourists crossed through the Boquillas port of entry each year. The port connecting Boquillas to Big Bend National Park in Texas closed in March 2020 but reopened on Nov. 17.
Annie Rosenthal/Marfa Public Radio