Issue link: https://pma.uberflip.com/i/1101484
An overhead view of on-dock rail at the dividing line of the Port of Long Beach and Terminal Island at the Port of Los Angeles. Meeting the Challenges Ahead Stable and productive West Coast ports are essential not only to our local communities but also to the health of the overall U.S. economy, providing the foundation for nearly 10 million jobs in a broad range of fields. 16 2 0 1 8 a n n u a l r e p o r t In 2017, the ILWU and PMA agreed to a historic contract extension that created the labor certainty many shippers demanded. Even with this important extension – which assures labor peace through 2022 – the convergence of trade, environmental and industry issues are creating new challenges that raise important questions about how best to manage the West Coast waterfront in the years ahead. Global Trade Issues Toward the end of 2018, concerns about the imposition of new trade tariffs on Chinese goods caused shippers to accelerate the import and warehousing of cargo by December 31, causing record-breaking seasonal volumes at West Coast ports during the final quarter. Managing this volume volatility, which many industry leaders expect to continue, is a priority for PMA. Clean Air Mandates Environmental regulations on the West Coast are another important issue facing PMA's member companies. Strict and aggressive government requirements – the most far-reaching in the world – are changing the way marine terminals on the West Coast operate now and into the future. The Los Angeles-Long Beach Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP), which governs the nation's busiest container port complex, has set a goal of 100 percent emission-free cargo-handling equipment just over 10 years from now. To meet this ambitious standard, along with similar requirements elsewhere on 16 2 0 1 8 a n n u a l r e p o r t