Cargo movement
Cargo movement focus GLOSSARY CONTENTS PAGE Ocean Vessel: Ocean vessels, or mare vessels, callg at the Port are owned (or leased) by global shippg companies. Contaer vessels operate on regularly scheduled services that call at a predetermed group of ports, normally on a weekly basis. The carrier operatg the vessel contracts with termal operators for the use of their facilities and services for unloadg, loadg or temporary storage of goods. Mare Termal: Mare termals are the facilities with ports designed for loadg and unloadg cargo from mare vessels. The termal also offers space for the short-term storage of cargo, and termal operators assist with processg the pickup and delivery of cargo. The Port of Long Beach leases termal space to private companies. These companies are usually global termal operators or the termal operatg division of global shippg companies. On-dock railyard: Railyards located with mare termals that receive imported cargo from mare vessels and from tras arrivg with exports. Mare termals operate on-dock railyards for the benefit of carriers usg the facility. Not all mare termals have on-dock rail capabilities. Near-dock railyard: Railyards located near the Port that are dedicated to handlg Port cargo. Unlike on-dock railyards, they serve more than one mare termal and therefore tend to be much larger than their on-dock counterparts. Trucks are needed to move contaers from the termals to the near-dock railyards. The close proximity to Port operations usually elimates the need to move contaers by truck on regional highways. These yards are operated by railroad companies for use by their customers, mare termals and logistics companies. Transload facility: A sortg, routg and short-term storage buildg that is often the first stop for imported cargo. Many of these facilities are located near the Port, where they can accommodate the maximum amount of cargo with the least number of trucks. At a transload facility the contents of a mare contaer are unloaded and transferred to one or more domestic contaers or trailers for delivery to local stores and factories, or to an off-dock railyard. Transload facilities are operated by various companies, cludg truckg companies, warehouse operators, logistics firms and large retailers. Cargo is generally stored only for a short time at a transload facility. Warehouse: Considerably larger than transload facilities, warehouses offer longer storage for cargo as well as additional processg and distribution services. Warehouses are scattered throughout the Los Angeles area, although clusters of warehouses are located near the Port and major freeways. Warehouses, which can be million square feet or more size, are owned dependently or by larger truckg and logistics companies. Local Destation: Stores and factories with a local region typically served by trucks. For Southern California ports, these destations are generally stores and factories west of the Rocky Mountas. Cargo headed for local destations can be routed directly or through a transload facility and/or warehouse. Non-local destation: Any destation such as a railyard, warehouse, retail outlet or manufacturer located east of the Rocky Mountas. Non-local cargo may require additional handlg at a transload facility and/or warehouse before leavg the area by rail. Only a small portion of cargo dested for Eastern states is moved by truck directly from the Port s termals. Overseas Contaer Transport Import Cargo Contaers Export Cargo Contaers Empty Cargo Contaers 8 In today s global economy, the effort volved transportg goods between manufacturers, retailers and consumers across the planet is remarkable its scale and sophistication. The enormous quantities and economic value of cargo beg transported through seaports, such as the Port of Long Beach, demands a flexible, efficient and well-organized supply cha. Today s system is made possible through the use of metal cargo contaers, which revolutionized the maritime dustry soon after they were troduced the late 90s. Cargo contaers act as dividual storage units that can be switched quickly between ships, trucks and tras. Cargo contaers may hold just about any consumer item shoes, computers, auto parts or frozen seafood. The diagrams on the followg pages show the movement of cargo contaers as they are used to transport goods the global supply cha. Off-dock railyard: Railyards located with the region served by the Port that handle Port cargo as well as domestic cargo from other sources. Cargo must be trucked from mare termals or local transload facilities to these off-dock yards, which are operated by the transcontental railroad companies servg the local area. In Southern California the major off-dock railyards are located near downtown Los Angeles and east of Los Angeles (to San Bernardo). Port cargo is moved by truck to these facilities, where it is sorted and grouped by fal destation. Non-local orig: Manufacturers or producers east of the Rocky Mountas that supply goods for export. Generally these shipments do not volve termediate handlg or consolidation.
Overseas Contaer Transport The journey across the Pacific Ocean and to the U.S. manufacturer, supplier or consolidation facility, where items are boxed and placed side a metal shippg contaer. The U.S. buyer may contact an dustry professional known as a freight forwarder, or logistics company, to coordate transportation of the cargo. The contaer will then be transported to a foreign port, assessed for possible security risks and placed aboard a giant contaer ship that will deliver it to the Port of Long Beach. As the ship is arrivg, the termal operator will contact the local union hall and arrange for unionized longshore workers to unload the contaer (usg a giant, electric gantry crane) and place it onto a truck, a rail car or temporary storage area on the termal property. Unloadg an 8,000 TEU ship takes about three days. Un ion hal l Imported cargo generally starts at an overseas Coast Guard review The U.S. Coast Guard reviews crew and cargo manifest formation, which must be delivered at least three days before any ship arrives at U.S. shores. Coast Guard boardg teams, with bomb-sniffg dogs, are authorized to board any ship at sea for any reason, even if the capta or crew objects. Product ordered A typical import transaction starts when a U.S. wholesaler, retailer or other buyer orders products from an overseas manufacturer. These products may be packaged to a contaer at the manufacturer and shipped directly to port, or sent to a warehouse or consolidation facility where they are packaged with other products dested for the same overseas port. Unloadg the ship As a fal security safeguard, contaers pass through large portals that detect radiation. The slightest level of radiation will trigger an alarm and appropriate security procedures. Po rt o f Lo ng Be ac h All aboard Cu U.S sto. ms 8 of g rt on Po g K n Ho r re r tu to ac da uf oli an ns M r co o 8 Security Checks U.S. Customs officials conduct further analysis and determe which contaers warrant further spection. If no additional spections are warranted, the contaer is cleared to leave the Port. LOC AT I O N S H O W N A S IA Radiation detection 9 When the contaer is cleared by security it will be placed on a ship along with as many as 8,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent) contaers. It takes a contaer ship about two weeks to cross the Pacific Ocean. 9 U.S. S. s U. tom s Cu To port Once the product has been ordered and packaged, the buyer or freight forwarder will arrange for a local truckg company to move the contaer to seaport, and then for a ship to transport the contaer overseas. Security checks A U.S. Customs official based at the port receives formation from a U.S.-based command center about which contaers may be a security risk. If a contaer is flagged as high-risk, U.S. Customs officials and local port security will conduct physical spections. Vessel docked As the ship nears the harbor it will be boarded by a port pilot, maritime specialists with expert knowledge of the harbor waters. The port pilot will work with tugboat operators and the ship s crew to steer the ship to the mare termal. Cargo Security Manifest submitted Risk level assigned All shippers must submit a manifest to U.S. Customs authorities, at least hours before any cargo leaves a foreign port, with detailed formation on a contaer s contents and everyone who has been volved its packagg and transport. Customs agents relay contaer formation to a centralized U.S. government command center Northern Virgia, where authorities use security telligence and computer databases to assign a risk level to all contaers bound for the U.S. Inspections U.S. Customs agents work with overseas port security officials to spect any contaers deemed suspicious or high-risk, first with radiation detectors and X-ray maches. If necessary they will open the contaer for further spections. Coast Guard watch Upon arrival Multi-layered security While a ship is at sea the Coast Guard reviews manifest formation on crew and cargo; the Coast Guard can board any ship at sea for any reason. Once the ship has arrived at U.S. shores, U.S. Customs conducts further analysis and physical contaer spection, if necessary. Before any crew members can leave a ship, they must be cleared by U.S. immigration authorities. Multiple agencies, cludg the U.S. Customs & Border Protection, U.S. Coast Guard, federal and state Homeland Security offices, Long Beach Police and the Port Harbor Patrol work together to secure all bound and outbound cargo as well as port facilities.
Import Cargo Contaers Where they go once they arrive at the Port of Long Beach Fal destations Local via transload/warehouse and direct delivery Non-local destation Non-local via near-dock railyards From the Port of Long Beach, contaers are either transported by tra or by truck to their fal destation, or to one of several termediate destations such as a railyard, warehouse, distribution center, or transload facility (a sortg, routg and short-term storage buildg). A contaer s fal destation will determe exactly what path it will take once it leaves the dock. Freight forwarder Near-dock railyards Cargo is often transported by truck to larger near-dock railyards close to the Port. This requires a shorter local truck trip than off-dock railyards or long-distance truck trips. Near-dock railyards serve multiple mare termals. Non-local via transload/warehouse Non-local via off-dock railyards Non-local via near-dock railyards A contaer s movements are determed by the cargo s owner, or an dustry professional known as a freight forwarder or logistics provider. The freight forwarder will provide directions to the mare termal operators and contact a truckg company or tra operator to move the contaer out of the Port. Freight forwarder Off-dock railyard Local store/factory CARGO MOVEMENT CARGO MOVEMENT BY RAIL THROUGH ALAMEDA CORRIDOR On-dock railyard Cargo can be placed directly onto tras at the mare termals on-dock railyards. On-dock railyards are operated by mare termals. This method of transportation is the most environmentally friendly, as it reduces truck traffic and air pollution generated by goods movement. Unloadg the ship When a ship arrives at the Port, the mare termal operator will arrange for unionized longshore workers to unload the vessel. The termal operator directs the longshore workers to place the cargo contaers where they belong: on tras, trucks or on termal property for temporary storage. Near-dock railyard On-dock railyard Mare termal Transload or storage yard Transload or storage yard Shippg contaers are often moved itially to a transload facility where workers unload the cargo from the mare contaer, sort it and repackage it to larger-sized truck trailers. The larger trailers are used to transport the cargo from the transload facility to regional distribution centers, local stores or off-dock railyards. Off-dock railyards Off-dock railyards are used to coordate rail deliveries to non-local destations. Contaers are delivered here by truck, then sorted and grouped by fal destation. These railyards handle Port cargo as well as domestic cargo from other sources. Direct delivery In the simplest transportation plan, a sgle contaer imported by a company for its own use would be delivered by truck directly from the mare termal to a local store or factory. Imports by tra Imports by truck RAIL CAR WITH MARINE Nearly half of all imported contaers at the Port of Long Beach are transported directly to non-local destations by tra. Half of that tra cargo begs at on-dock railyards, requirg no local truck trips. The remag half of tra cargo is first moved by truck to near-dock or off-dock rail facilities. MARINE DOMESTIC TRAILER Slightly more than half of all imported contaers at the Port of Long Beach are transported by truck to a local warehouse, transload facility, or importer. The majority of this locally-delivered cargo is consumed locally. The remader is delivered by truck, sorted and delivered to non-local destations.
Export Cargo Contaers Destations from pot of orig Off-dock railyards from non-local Their routes from domestic origs to the Port of Long Beach As with imported goods, exported cargo may require several termediate stops between the producer or manufacturer of the cargo and the Port. No n-lo cal Near-dock railyards Export deliveries are also made to near-dock railyards, where the cargo is picked up by truck for a short trip to the mare termal. Mare termal from warehouse/local On-dock railyards from non-local Near-dock railyards from non-local orig On-dock railyards l ca Lo Cargo bound for export can be delivered by tra directly to on-dock railyards, where it is loaded onto an ocean vessel. On-dock delivery requires no local truck trips. k oc r-d rd ea ya N rail rd lya ai kr oc -d On ig or O rai ff-do lya ck rds W co are ns ho oli us da e/ tor e ar M al rm te C A R G O M OV E M E NT B Y R A I L THR OUGH A L A M ED A C OR R IDOR Vessel loadg Outbound cargo is loaded onto an ocean vessel headed for an overseas port. Off-dock railyards Some export cargo contaers are delivered by tra to off-dock railyards, where they are placed onto trucks for fal delivery to mare termals. Direct Delivery In the most straightforward route, a sgle contaer from a local exportg company, produce grower or manufacturer would be delivered by truck directly to the mare termal. C A R G O M OV E M E NT Warehouse/consolidator Cargo delivered from local or nonlocal destations may be stored temporarily at a warehouse or consolidated with other cargo bound for export. Cargo may also be transferred from domestic truck trailers to mare shippg contaers at this facility. Exports by tra RAIL CAR WITH MARINE Contaers arrivg at on-dock railyards represent nearly 0 percent of all exported contaers. Nearly 0 percent of all export contaers arrive to the region by tra and are Exports by truck trucked to the Port's termals from near-dock and off-dock railyards. Slightly more than 0 percent of exported contaer cargo origates from local producers or manufacturers. MARINE DOMESTIC TRAILER Slightly more than 0 percent of exported contaer cargo origates from local producers or manufacturers (a small portion cludes non-local cargo that is consolidated at local warehouse facilities).
Empty Cargo Contaers How empty contaers are sent overseas Because the United States imports more d oa sl an Tr Delivery to local exporter r rte po im l ca lo or goods than it exports, many empty contaers are sent overseas to be refilled with goods. Typically, about a third of the contaers loaded onto a ship at the Port of Long Beach will be filled with cargo, while about two-thirds will be empty. This diagram shows the movement of empty contaers after the delivery of full, imported contaers to local busesses and/or transload facilities. Intermodal contaers returng to the local area empty are not depicted; they would enter the system at the mare termal or empty contaer storage yard. A local exporter who needs to fill empty contaers may arrange to receive them by truck directly from a mare termal, from an empty contaer storage yard or from a local importer. Direct delivery between importers and exporters is encouraged because it elimates an additional truck trip to a storage yard or mare termal. r te or xp le ca Lo Em sto pty c rag on e y ta ard er e ar M C O N TAINE R M OV E M E NT al rm te Ocean Vessel Empty contaers are loaded onto an ocean vessel, along with contaers filled with export goods, bound for an overseas port. 8 Empty contaer storage yard Empty contaers are often transported by truck from a transload facility or local importer to an empty contaer storage yard. From the storage yard, the empty contaers can be transported to a mare termal for export, or to a local exporter to be filled with cargo. Empty contaers are also transported from mare termals to storage yards, usually when the termal needs more space for full, comg contaers. Direct Delivery The simplest route for an empty cargo contaer would be a return trip to the Port from a transload facility or local importer after its imported goods had been unloaded. EMPTY MARINE Virtual Contaer Yard The Port is actively promotg the use of a computerized management technique for empty contaers known as the virtual contaer yard. The virtual contaer yard lks local importers and exporters through an onle clearg house. This effort creases the direct exchange of empty contaers outside of the Port, and reduces the need for additional truck trips to and from storage yards and mare termals. 9
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