Friday, October 22, 2021

CRA participated in an online forum hosted by the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce that addressed the current issue of ports congestion, which is disrupting the already stressed supply chains. The forum focused on educating stakeholders about the root causes and all contributing factors of the current situation with the goal of serving as a critical first step to addressing the crisis.

Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero gave an update on what’s happening right now, on the ground to facilitate some immediate relief, which includes addressing 3 key measures to address the capacity crunch:
•Expanded night and weekend hours
•Pilot program for 24/7 operations
•Supply chain success summit.

California Retailers Association President and CEO Rachel Michelin highlighted the backlog’s impact on not only retailers, but also consumers, and encouraged all sectors to work together on a solution.

Rachel: “Part of this crisis has been in the making for at least 5 to 10 years. California’s heavily regulated environment impacts the efficiency of the supply chain. I’ve heard from small retailers and small businesses who are impacted by this. We’re in a crisis mode right now. Retailers are a major employer as an industry in California and we need to have more conversations with Governor Gavin Newsom on how we can help be a solution to this problem.”

Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said he “supports Michelin’s comments 1,000%. This crisis didn’t happen overnight.”