At TRB: Costly issues weigh on port efficiency

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Port operations were on the radar as maritime stakeholders held an encompassing conversation ranging from harbor dredging and anchorage development to sustainability and alternative fuels infrastructure. 

The free-flowing discussion on Tuesday came at the 104th annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board, where thousands of academics, researchers, government officials, and private sector entities braved a rare snowstorm to absorb the latest research, exchange ideas, and network across the spectrum of global transportation.

Current events were top of mind at the meeting as disruptions brought on by labor issues, congestion, and reconfigured trade patterns, among other factors, have challenged port operators, where inefficiencies could lead shippers to less expensive locations.

It’s a hot-button issue in Washington, as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has been conducting more “tabletopping” exercises on disruptions. Such discussions help a team prepare for an emergency or disaster, such as the looming threat of a prolonged longshore strike at East and Gulf ports that has the potential to shut down container shipping and cut off imports of pharmaceuticals, food, auto parts and other essential trade. During the brief work stoppage by the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) in October, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis reportedly was ready to deploy the National Guard to operate the state’s ports.

Talk of USACE raised the subject of dredging, something critically important to commercial ports generally and container hubs specifically, which are locked in a