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North America Operations Update

Week of August 24, 2015

 

 

 

Dear valued OOCL Customer,

 

 

 

 

Dangerous Goods Shipments to South China

 

In the aftermath of the explosion occurring mid-August in the Xingang port area of the city of Tianjin, OOCL is not able to accept dangerous goods/hazardous cargo for discharge at Xingang Port/Tianjin until restrictions are removed by the Xingang Port Authority.

 

For further information we recommend our customers refer to the Local News section of our OOCL.com China page located here.

 

Port of Oakland

 

OOCL Marine Operations Status update

 

Due to the serious labor shortage in Oakland, the port’s list of next initiatives includes extended terminal hours. According to the port, a proposal for permanent Saturday operations is under review with the Federal Maritime Commission. The plan would lengthen the work week to six days in Oakland, easing congestion during peak weekday periods.  The port is also finalizing plans with equipment providers to ensure any chassis can be used by any trucker. By fall, the truck trailers that haul containers over the road will be made available from a common pool.

 

Due to this congestion, numerous services will be omitting OAK as below:

 

 

The cargo availability of local import cargo after vessel berthing is still subject to man-power availability. OOCL export customers with changes in cargo cutoffs are being issued revised booking confirmations.

 

 

Vessel/Loop Deployment Changes

 

Terminal First Receiving Date

Information for export cargo container receiving windows as reported by North America terminals continues to be updated daily on OOCL.com.

 

Summer Schedule Changes:  Below is an outline of summer schedule changes.  For full details of the Transpacific Summer schedule changes please click here and for the Transatlantic changes here:

Attached is our current vessel schedule for reference purposes.  For the most up to date scheduling information please do refer to our interactive point to point or vessel schedule on www.oocl.com.

 

 

 

North America Rail Operations

 

Please note that the BNSF Railroad will be shortening their hours of free time and increasing their daily storage charge on August 17, 2015.  They will also be counting all the days of the week as part of the chargeable time calculations.  This means that Sundays will no longer be considered as a free day during the free time calculations.  For more details see Item 37 and Appendix F of the BNSF Intermodal Rules and Policies Guide (R&PG).

 

The BNSF operation continues to deliver solid performance as velocity for trains, locomotives and cars all held relatively steady this week. Good fluidity was maintained across the network and the total trains held average declined to the lowest weekly level recorded this year.

 

Wildfires remain a continued concern across the inland Pacific Northwest. There are currently about 100 large fires impacting parts of Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Washington and California. The Sheep Fire near Essex, Montana forced BNSF to halt service through this portion of their Hi-Line Subdivision for more than seven hours last Thursday. The BNSF is working closely with fire officials and assisting local responders by deploying additional firefighting equipment, including a specialized fire train that is equipped with water tank cars, a water cannon and firefighting foam. The BNSF has also implemented procedures, including the re-routing of trains, to minimize the impact of any service disruption as much as possible.

 

As the BNSF has reported, maintenance activity and expansion work remains in full swing throughout their network. Last weekend, a new siding was placed into service in Lumberton, Texas on their Silsbee Subdivision, which runs north-south through Beaumont near the Gulf Coast. Sidings help improve traffic flow by enabling trains to pass each other which, in turn, increases capacity to handle more trains on the same line. This is one of five new sidings and 15 siding extensions that will be added onto the BNSF’s network this year.

 

Truck Power

 

Truck Power to perform import store door deliveries and export door pickups continues to be a major concern along the US West Coast, specifically in Oakland and the SEA/TAC-Portland corridor.

  • There is a shortage of trucking companies willing to dray hazardous containers.
  • There are no truck power issues in Canada or Mexico.
  • Please see our Truck Power Map on OOCL.com for more information regarding advance timing required for door movements.

 

 

Pacific Southwest

 

  • Some congestion reported at Pier A (CC2), but overall the congestion and labor issues were down across the harbor compared to last week.

 

 

Oakland

 

  • OICT was extremely congested this week with long lines of trucks outside the terminal gates.  Gate turn times averaged 60 minutes.   Labor shortages and chronic yard congestion are compounded by severe chassis shortages.
  • Trapac operations were congested this week.  Gate turn times averaged 33 minutes.
  • Oakland is extremely short of chassis and truck power; new dispatches are not being accepted for 10-14 days out.  Truck power situation is primarily caused by slow import deliveries, early afternoon restrictions on dual transactions at OICT, and driver waiting time for a bare chassis to become available.

 

 

Tacoma & Seattle

 

  • Tacoma WUT was moderately congested. Gate turn times averaged 34 minutes.  The terminal posts an announcement on their web site which vessel(s) they will receive export cargo on the following day.
  • Seattle T-18 was moderately congested.  Gate turn times averaged 22 minutes.
  • SEA-TCM is tight on truck power.

 

 

Vancouver

 

  • Deltaport and Centerm Terminals are fairly fluid.

 

 

CN Montreal

 

  • CAST Terminal is very congested due to vessel bunching and terminal labor shortages.
  • Due to crane construction at Termont Terminal, OOCL services will not resume calling this port until the fall.

 

 

CN Halifax

 

  • Terminal dwell times are very fluid.

 

 

New York Terminals

 

  • In anticipation of peak season and the overall increase in volume within the port, GCT Bayonne will open the gates on Saturdays until further notice.  They will receive and deliver dry containers only.  No reefers, whether empty or full will be handled and no OOG Containers.  The hours will be from 0600 until 1330.  At that point they will finish all trucks remaining in the yard and queue. The chassis depot will open at 6AM and close at 1 PM for pickups and close at 2 PM for drop offs.
  • Gate turn times:
  • GCT Bayonne – 112 minutes
  • GCT New York – 17 minutes
  • Maher – 45 minutes
  • Door delivery truck power lead time remains 0-2 days in the NYC metro area.

 

 

Norfolk International Terminal

 

  • Gate turn time at NIT was 42 minutes.
  • Truck power lead time was 0-2 days in Norfolk.

 

 

USA Midwest & South Central

 

  • Truck power is now adequate throughout the Midwest and Gulf. See the truck power map linked above.
  • Chassis are tight in Dallas.
  • HOU’s Barbour’s Cut Terminal reported moderate congestion with gate turn times averaging 42 minutes.

 

 

South Atlantic                         

  • NS derailment last week created delays in the CHS corridor. The affected cargo was inbound from SPA – Inland Greer Facility to CHS.  No OOCL cargo affected,

 

 

 Mexico

 

  • Services at marine terminals in both Veracruz and Altamira were normal last week.
  • Depot, trucking, and rail services were all normal.

 

 

Yours Sincerely,

OOCL North America