Welcome to the METRANS Goods Movement Timeline. This is a searchable timeline of activities tied to goods movement, logistics and international trade based upon items from the popular press.
Given our location and the importance of this region as an international trade gateway, many of the entries pertain to Southern California. We do however draw from state and national press as well. Some articles' links may have expired, or you may have to pay a fee or register on the Web site where they originally appeared to access the complete article. Our goal however is to provide the researcher with enough information to track significant events over time as they have occurred in key areas like legislation, finance, and security.
This timeline grew out of timelines initially developed for METRANS research projects in the area of goods movement. Earlier entries (before 2005) were therefore not prepared with a searchable database in mind and will be less detailed. We hope, however, that they remain a useful resource.
5/5/2022
Putting some WD-40 on the U.S. supply chain
Politicians, the Federal Reserve, and Fed and administration apologists like to claim that the inflation we face is caused by supply constraints. This claim goes against the facts on the ground. 4/29/2022
Ports of LA, Long Beach delay cargo fee again
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach once again postponed implementing a fee on companies whose import containers linger at marine terminals, with the assessment now potentially taking effect, if necessary, next Friday.4/28/2022
Port of Long Beach hails project designed to speed movement and reduce pollution
The new Pier G/J Double Track Access Project adds a second rail line running approximately 8,000 feet long that enables four terminals in the port's south basin area to simultaneously handle arriving and departing trains. 4/26/2022
Zero-Emission Truck Trial OK'd for California Ports
Long Beach harbor commissioners on April 25 approved an agreement hailed as groundbreaking that will deploy 100 battery-electric trucks to the twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.4/26/2022
Pass AB 1679 to help relieve supply chain woes: Lance Hastings and Vince Fong
Assembly Bill 1679 creates a high-level advisor to advocate, expedite and swiftly remove hurdles in the supply chain to ensure efficiency and address choke points at all levels of the supply chain including manufacturing and its 1.2 million workers.4/22/2022
Ports of LA, Long Beach delay cargo fee again; pilot program to be extended until end of July
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on Friday, April 22, once again delayed implementing a fee against ocean carriers whose import containers linger at marine terminals, even as progress in reducing the backlog has slowed in recent weeks.4/18/2022
Federal maritime agency OK's major Port of Long Beach rail facility
The Port of Long Beach's planned Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility, which will shift cargo movement from trucks to train, received approval from the U.S. Maritime Administration, the port announced Monday, April 18.
4/15/2022
Ports of LA, Long Beach, delay cargo fee despite concerns congestion could worsen
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on Friday, April 15, once again delayed implementing a fee on companies whose import containers linger at marine terminals, despite signs that congestion on the docks is increasing.4/13/2022
Chinese carriers are shipping more empty containers than full ones out of U.S. West Coast ports
Two Chinese carriers have been shipping more empty export containers than loaded exports out of the two biggest U.S. ports.4/12/2022
DOT's Buttigieg urges railroads to clear LA-LB container backlog
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has told the CEOs of the western US railroads to address the problem of rising rail container dwell times in Los Angeles-Long Beach that is contributing to terminal congestion at the largest gateway in the country.4/12/2022
It's taking more time again for unloaded cargo to be hauled away, Long Beach port chief says
Concern is growing again that longer cargo dwell times could mean a return of port congestion on the West Coast, Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero said Monday, April 11, at the port's Board of Harbor Commissioners meeting.4/12/2022
West Coast dockworkers, employers will get deal this summer, labor boss says
Talks to hammer out a new labor contract for West Coast dockworkers are set to start May 12.4/11/2022
POLA, POLB again push back consideration of container dwell fee to April 15
Going back to when the fee was initially rolled out on October 25, POLA and POLB said that the ports have seen a cumulative 49% decline in the amount of aging cargo on their docks, a tally which has trended up going back to the initial announcement of this fee.4/9/2022
As coastal, inland logistics industrial spaces wane, high desert is next
Southern California's dramatic shortage of available warehouse boxes has caused companies to rethink how and where warehouse sites are chosen. Future warehouse facilities are likely headed for Victor Valley including Apple Valley, Victorville, Hesperia, Adelanto, Barstow and Phelen or the Antelope Valley in Palmdale, Lancaster, Antelope Valley and Littlerock, according to one logistics expert.4/5/2022
Truckers Among Stakeholders Suing City Over Proposed Ballpark at Port of Oakland
A proposed multibillion-dollar ballpark and real estate development inside the Port of Oakland faces a new legal challenge by several transportation groups as the team's ownership keeps open the idea of relocating.4/4/2022
West coast congestion worries return to LA and Northern California
The spectre of a repeat of last year's congestion is beginning to rise on the US west coast as ocean container dwell times at major gateways have increased in recent weeks and the availability of rail equipment and chassis has decreased.4/3/2022
Port Of Long Beach Launches Clean Truck Fund Rate
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Port of Long Beach and Port of Los Angeles officials gathered Friday to launch the Clean Truck Fund rate, which will supercharge the deployment of zero-emissions trucks and infrastructure at the nation's largest port complex.4/2/2022
California ports look inland for short-term container storage
If California ports are going to survive a second consecutive summer of congestion, shippers and their truckers must begin using newly created inland sites for temporary container storage even if those facilities are 50 miles from the water, port officials say.
4/1/2022
Ports of LA, Long Beach launch port truck fee after years of planning
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have officially launched their Clean Trucks Fee, an important milestone in their ambitious efforts to move toward zero-emission operations a goal port executives and the mayors of their respective cities celebrated on Friday, April 1.4/1/2022
LA, Long Beach ports delay cargo fee again
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have once more delayed implementating a fee on companies whose import containers linger at marine terminals, with the assessment now potentially taking effect, if necessary, on Friday, April 8.