The three Port of Long Beach terminals closed by the recent work stoppage will have some cargo fees waived to provide financial relief and to expedite the movement of containers, port officials said (here). "We are relieved to return to full operations and we want to do our part in getting things back to normal as soon as possible," said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Christopher Lytle. All terminals at the Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles reopened Wednesday morning (see ITT's Online Archives 12120534). The impacted terminals were LBCT (Pier F), ITS (Pier G) and TTI (Pier T).

Cargotec has a contract to provide 14 Kalmar ESC 450W straddle carriers for U.K.-based Forth Ports Group, for its London Container Terminal at Tilbury, it said. LCT handles more than a half million containers per year. Delivery is scheduled for next April. Terms weren't disclosed.

The Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach strike "is now at the national emergency stage impacting industries far and wide," said National Retail Federation President Matthew Shay, renewing his request that President Obama intervene in the strike. There was no reported resolution of the strike of clerical workers and longshoremen (see ITT's Online Archives 12120317) at our deadline.

Picketing continued Dec. 3 at the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach as a result of a long-running contract dispute between port employers and members of Office Clerical Unit Local 63 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (see ITT's Online Archives 12113025).

The Georgia Ports Authority approved $2 million funding to increase capacity, efficiency and flexibility in heavy machinery exports, it said. The project "will provide greater capacity in moving oversized roll-on/roll-off cargo at Ocean Terminal,” said GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz. The money will be used to expand outdoor paved areas to improve sorting and storage of cargo handled at Ocean Terminal. The work includes expanding and improving the cargo pressure washing area, and cargo staging areas to support outside stored cargo, it said.

APM Terminals' Pier 400 in Los Angeles remained shut-down due to the picketing by Office Clerical Unit Local 63, which was being honored by members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, APM said Thursday morning (here). And there were reports that the picketing was spreading to other terminals, and even to the Port of Long Beach.

The Oakland Board of Port Commissioners appointed Danny Wan as new Port of Oakland Attorney, effective Dec. 17. Wan is currently City Attorney and Risk Manager for the City of Morgan Hill, and previously served as the port's deputy attorney.

Oregon State Conciliator Robert Nightingale said he will hold last-ditch talks Nov. 24 between longshore security guards and the Port of Portland to try to avert a strike planned for Sunday, Nov. 25. If no agreement is reached, Local 28 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union plans to launch a strike at 6. a.m. that could shutter three terminals at the port.

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan brought leaders from the Port of Oakland and Service Employees International Union Local 1021 together to try to resolve contract issues, the port said Nov. 20. The action allowed marine terminals in the seaport to resume operations that evening after all terminals had been closed due to a strike, it said. The port and SEIU are still set to hold fact-finding hearings on Nov. 30 and Dec. 3, it said. The port is “committed to reaching a mutual agreeable contract as soon as possible,” said Acting Director Deborah Ale Flint. “We hope to reach a resolution as soon as possible,” said SEIU Local 21 President Roxanne Sanchez.

The International Longshoremen's Association and United States Maritime Association traded insults over their respective negotiation tactics in dueling Nov. 20 press releases. The ILA asked for full master contract wage scale meetings with USMX to start Monday, Dec. 26. The union scheduled three full days of talks and will continue beyond them if a contract can be reached, it said. Preventing a cap on container royalty is one of the key battles facing ILA President Harold Daggett as he leads negotiations against USMX, the union said. Other issues are the eight-hour guarantee and the seven-man lashing gang.