In late May, Alba’s EVP, Growth and Strategy Vince Iacopella participated in a tour of one of the most automated terminals in Southern California, TraPac Terminal. Following the terminal tour, Vince participated in a panel discussion convened to discuss ongoing port disruption issues, their root causes and what solutions were available to the trade. Joining Vince on the panel were Weston LaBar, Head of Strategy for Cargomatic, Inc., Peter Stone, SVP of Portfolio Infrastructure of Brookfield Asset Management and Jake Winquist of Management Consulting Services RSM US, LLP.
During the tour, Vince and Weston (pictured here), observed how TraPac’s automation facilitated not just the loading and unloading of the ships, but the use of automated on-dock rail created a differentiator of even greater throughput. TraPac highlights their technology as not just a service for Beneficial Cargo Owners (BCO’s), but also for the positive environmental impact as most of the automated equipment is powered by electricity.
Following the tour, the panel spoke and answered questions on multiple issues of importance to shippers including:
- The impact of transpacific capacity issues on BCO’s and how the blanking of sailings and bunch of vessel sailings and arrivals impacts operational fluidity.
- How the trade remedy Section 301 duties the Biden Administration is contemplating taking action on are affecting BCO’s.
- Strategic partnerships between shippers, carriers, forwarders, terminal operators and truckers are important to maintain fluidity and consistent reliable transit times and equipment availability.
- The shift which was underway before the pandemic to direct to consumer but has rapidly accelerated over the past two and a half years.
- Inventory strategy and nearshoring utilizing programs such as de minimis as well as diversification of a supplier base to insulate from country-specific shocks and risks.
Overall, the audience was receptive and asked very thoughtful questions surrounding these issues and the panel provided them with takeaways to go back to their own organizations to both ask questions and investigate further opportunities to optimize and improve their supply chains from beginning to end.
