This month our resident advice columnist answers questions about the importance of infrastructure and why shippers should support investing in our ports and transportation systems.
Dear Ahab, what can investing in U.S. infrastructure do to eliminate port congestion? – Fear of Crowds
Dear Fear of Crowds: Port congestion happens because we’re importing more cargo than we can unload, creating a backup. Import surges are inevitable, you can’t stop people from wanting things, so you need to balance that equation by increasing your capacity.
You probably remember how bad it was during COVID. Unfortunately, not much has improved, since then. Still, some there have been some meaningful improvements at America’s ports due to recent investments to solve the problem with congestion. For example, the port at North Bend, Oregon increased space at ports, alleviating congestion.
The port of Los Angeles built out a more robust rail network to help get containers out of the port once they’re off the ship. Finally, the port of New York and New Jersey is currently reconstructing a pier at Port Newark that has been out of commission since it was effectively condemned in 2021. Think of the capacity you can move if you have a whole new pier at your port! Hopefully there will be more similar investments, because this is the best way to alleviate congestion.
Dear Ahab, I understand why it’s important to keep our ports in shape, but I worry about the environmental impact that cargo ships and port functions have. How can we make sure that the next generation of infrastructure improvements help build a more sustainable supply chain? – Seaweed Hugger
Dear Seaweed Hugger: Thankfully, a lot of the money being put into ports is funding sustainability measures. The $73 million rail infrastructure work at Port of Los Angeles, for example, is going to eliminate 1,200 truck trips per day by adding 31,000 linear feet of railroad track at the port, increasing the volume of cargo that can be moved out of LA by rail and the efficiency with which it moves.
Another example is the $7.7 million project at the Ko’Kwel Wharf in North Bend, Oregon, which is going to install an 800 amp electrical service that ships can connect to while docked. This will allow ships to actually turn their engines off while docked at Ko’Kwel Wharf, lowering emissions, and saving some gas money, too.
The bottom line here is that, if you want a more environmentally sound shipping industry, which most of us do, it’s going to take some money. Thankfully, even modest investments like, say, $7.7 million, go a long way.
Dear Ahab, I LOVE the idea of investing in infrastructure, and I’d like to chip in to help the effort. Where can I send a check? – Active Altruist
Dear Active Altruist: You know you already chip into this effort by paying your taxes, right? However, if you are really that passionate about infrastructure and want to pay more, feel free to send a check to the government. I am sure they will take it.
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