Issue link: https://pma.uberflip.com/i/1495430
Economic Significance of West Coast Ports West Coast ports are among the primary economic drivers and job creators for the regional and national economies. Cargo and vessel activity at West Coast ports support more than 12 million U.S. jobs and nearly $2 trillion in total economic value nationwide, representing almost 9 percent of U.S. GDP, according to a recent analysis based on 2021 data. Containers moving through West Coast ports include vital consumer, commercial and industrial goods that are staples of the U.S. economy. However, this dominant role is at risk as cargo continues to be diverted from the West Coast to competing gateways on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. Reversing this 20-year trend is essential to preserving the significant economic benefits enabled by healthy West Coast ports. The National (and Global) Transportation Network Once on land, imports moving through the West Coast ports are carried by rail and truck to destinations across the United States. Exports, too, come from around the nation. The ports, then, are one piece in a much larger transportation infrastructure: highways, rail lines, distribution centers, warehouses and final destinations such as factories, stores and homes. The significance of West Coast cargo movement is not limited to any one region of the country, or to any one industry. The West Coast ports truly supply the nation, and in the coming years, further investment in infrastructure and technology— including emissions reducing cargo-handling technology—will be essential to enabling these national assets to continue playing this vital role. Waterfront Work: More Than 16,850 Registered Workers As of December 2022, PMA members employed more than 16,850 registered longshore workers, clerks, and foremen at 29 West Coast ports, and thousands more "casual" workers, who typically work part-time. These workers are engaged in all kinds of cargo-handling operations—from lashing containers to driving yard equipment to operating the huge gantry cranes that line most major port terminals. Some are also involved in clerical tasks to keep track of the nearly 1 million tons of cargo that move through West Coast ports daily. Since the 2002 labor agreement that brought widespread use of technology to West Coast ports, which was later complemented by the 2008 agreement that brought automation to the waterfront, the registered workforce has grown by 54 percent. A vessel is serviced at International Transportation Service Berth #236 at the Port of Long Beach. 33 33 PACIFIC MARITIME ASSOCIATION