March 22, 2022 – Supply Chain Dive is tracking the shift to 24/7 supply chain operations for public and private sectors across the country. Import surges throughout the pandemic unveiled the problems and challenges at a structural level that businesses have faced transporting products into and across the United States for years. At several points throughout the pandemic, there have been more than 100 cargo ships waiting to dock in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
According to Supply Chain Dive, ports have attempted to engage with dozens of stakeholders to try to improve operations, which have resulted “in a series of commitments from the private sector and regulatory tweaks.” The timeline starts in September 2021, when the Port of Long Beach announced it was aiming to maximize the nighttime operations and expand “the hours during which trucks can pick up and return containers.” In the same month, the Port of Los Angeles expanded weekend operating gate hours to help meet demand, provide transparency, and improve efficiency.
In October, the White House announced the Port of Los Angeles’ goal to move to 24/7 operations. President Joe Biden said, “A 27/7 system is what most of the leading countries in the world are already operating on now. Except us, until now.” Throughout the remaining months, the timeline shows the private sector committing to using off-peak hours for shipping, other ports finding innovative ways to store containers, and government mandates designed to alleviate the supply chain challenges.
The most recent update to the timeline is March 15, 2022, when the White House announced plans to launch a supply chain data-sharing portal to be to improve cargo velocity.