U.S. WEST COAST PORTS RESUME WORK FOR HAWAII, ALASKA SHIPMENTS ONLY
The Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union have agreed to limited exemptions to the week-old port lockout to allow U.S. West Coast ports to handle shipments between the mainland, Hawaii and Alaska.
As a result, Matson Navigation was scheduled to resume its U.S. West Coast/Hawaii liner service on Saturday (Oct. 5).
Governor Benjamin Cayetano of Hawaii had submitted the request for exemption on Wednesday. It received the full support of Hawaii’s congressional delegation, led by Senator Daniel Inouye, who enlisted the support and signatures of Senator Dan Akaka and Congressman Neil Abercrombie on an urgent letter of appeal to the PMA and ILWU.
Matson currently has five vessels on the West Coast ready to resume service. Two vessels are in Los Angeles, one in Oakland and another two in Seattle. Three other vessels are currently en route to the West Coast from Hawaii.
The first vessel scheduled to depart for Hawaii is the “S.S. Kauai” in Seattle, which will sail directly from the Pacific Northwest to Honolulu late tonight (Monday).
It is not known whether other U.S. mainland/Hawaii domestic shipping lines will also be able to load and discharge cargoes at U.S. West Coast ports.
Matson said that Hawaii, as the nation’s only island state, “is totally dependent on ocean transportation to support its economy.”
“Unlike other states, the Islands have no alternative modes of transportation, such as rail or truck, to ensure goods continue to flow to and from the U.S. mainland,” a spokesman for Matson said.
It was also announced on Friday that the ILWU and Totem Ocean Trailer Express, a domestic shipping line serving Alaska, had reached an agreement to restore shipping service from the U.S. West Coast to Alaska.
The port of Tacoma has now said that, following negotiations between ILWU Local 23 and the Pacific Maritime Association, an agreement was reached allowing Tacoma longshore workers to load and discharge Alaska-bound domestic cargo ships of both CSX Lines and Totem Ocean Trailer Express.
Work began on TOTE and CSX vessels on Friday.
Alaska Governor Tony Knowles, who noted the short supply of food and other essential products in his state, had requested an exemption from the port closure for ocean services to Alaska.
While the exemption has allowed Jones Act carriers serving Hawaii and Alaska to resume service, the U.S. West Coast port shutdown remains in place for all international cargo shipments. Negotiations are continuing between the ILWU and the PMA, assisted by a federal mediator.