Public Forum to Address US Port Congestion

Examining Causes, Impact on Stakeholders and Exploring Possible Solutions

Federal Maritime Commissioner William P. Doyle will host a forum regarding U.S. Mid-Atlantic and Northeast port congestion on October 1, 2014 at the World Trade Center in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. FMC Commissioner Richard A. Lidinsky, Jr. will co-host this forum.

The forum’s goal is to examine causes and implications of congestion at U.S. ports and possible solutions in the geographic region including port activity from Virginia to Maine.

Commissioner Doyle said, "There has been significant interest from stakeholders. We’re going to discuss solutions that are already in progress. It’s an opportunity to have all the affected sectors in one room to listen and share diverse viewpoints. We’re going to get into the details, and have open and frank discussions between and among the stakeholders."
Registration

The format will include panels of invited participants to make presentations. The goal is for honest and candid discussions among the relevant parties. As such, portions of the forum will be conducted in closed session with just the invited participants present to ensure that sensitive issues are raised and addressed.

Topics for discussion include truck gate/wait times, trucker gate "appointment" system, "free time" operational impacts on gate operations and congestion, chassis ownership and deployment -"gray pool" development, ccean carrier arrival "bunching" impacts on port/gate congestion, infrastructure and  measures already taken to address identified issues.

Stakeholders from all sectors have been invited including Carriers, port authorities, marine terminal operators, labor, chassis operators/leasing/pools, truckers and shippers (retail/box stores).
 Stakeholders, interested parties and the general public will be given an opportunity to make public statements.

The commission is accepting the submission of written comments in advance of the public forum. Email written comments to [email protected], with the subject line: "October 1 Public Forum". The commission will provide confidential treatment to the extent allowed by law for submissions, or parts of submissions, for which the filer requests confidentiality.

Following the forum, Commissioners Doyle and Lidinsky will report back to the full commission on issues raised in this forum.

Registration is required due to building security requirements. Those who plan to attend must contact David Tubman, counsel to Commissioner Doyle, at [email protected], and be prepared to present photo ID to the building security.

fmc.gov