b'8American Journal ofTransportation ajot.comPort Authority of New York and New Jersey (THICKETcontinued from page 6) Thecommissionhas50/50rep-Imports Exports Total Jersey of the Waterfront Commission, aresentation from each state, and there 2021 Loads Empties Loads Empties Loads Empties Total Total bi-state agency that plays a key role inneedstobeconsensusbetweenthe Rail Lifts the hiring of longshore labor. Its espe- statestomakechanges.Theend YD December 2021 4,586,988 26,784 1,358,730 3,013,427 5,946 3,040,211 8,985,929 709,094 cially relevant at this moment, when theresultisconstantbureaucraticstale-YD December 2020 3,920,686 25,640 1,321,043 2,318 5,241,729 2,344,090 7,585,819 705,895 port has seen cargo volumes increase bymate, said Nardi. % Change 17.0% 4.5% 2.9% 30.0% 13.4% 29.7% 18.5% 0.5% over 35% since 2019 and requires sev- New Jersey passed legislation to Source: PANYNJ eral hundred new port employees.dissolve the commission, resulting in (CARGOcontinued from page 2) we are seeing ships on certain voyagesYou cant just hire somebody offthe pending litigation. The Shipping on a quarterly basis, no penalties willcircling back to New York and makingthe street and make him a longshore- Association and the U.S. Department be imposed before January 2023, anda second port call in order to evacuateman, said Nardi. There is a signifi- ofJusticehavebothweighedinon proceedswillbeusedtooffsettheempties, said Rooney. Some servicescant amount of training that goes inNew Jerseys side. New Yorks posi-costs of providing additional storagethat normally call New York first willinto it. We find ourselves behind thetion is that the bi-state compact which capacity, and other expenses incurredcall New York last in order to top offcurve right now. formed the commission cannot be dis-by the glut of empty containers. Thevessels with empties. Several carriers,The Waterfront Commission tendssolved without New Yorks consent. PortAuthorityhasrepurposed12which dont handle much export cargoto muck up the hiring process, accord-acreswithinPortNewarkandtheout of the port, are chartering space oning to Nardi, by constantly movingr Ecruiting for thEW atErfrontElizabeth-Port Authority Marine Ter- their vessels to carry empties on behalfthegoalposts,whichiswhyweIfthefederalgovernmentsays minal for temporary storage of emptyof other carriers.support New Jersey having a greaterNew Jersey can leave, said Nardi, I and long-dwelling import containers,sayinhowtheportoperates.Newwould say theres a pretty good chance and is looking for more space. r ailt ransPortationM akEsaport hires are divided evenly betweenthatNewJerseywillsucceed.Ifthat By this time next year, RooneyD iffErEncE referrals from the Shipping Associa- proves to be the case, the New Jersey asserted, 75% of the accumulated con- Rooney has also noticed changestion and the ILA and the problem,statepolicewillprovideoversightfor tainers should all be out in the port. in the pattern of transporting contain- saidNardi,ishowthecommissionthe hiring of port workers in New Jersey.Oceancarriersservingtheporters, as many containers that headed totreats ILA referrals. Whenitcomestocurrenthiring have developed some innovative plansthe Midwest by rail have not returnedThecommissionchangestheactivities,employersarerecruiting for eliminating the backlog of emptyto NY/NJ as empties. They just con- hiring process frequently, he explained,enough candidates to fill their slots for containers.Weveseenanincreasetinue on to the West Coast where theywhich sometimes invalidates workersthe most part, said Nardi. The shortfall in the number of empty loaders, and(CARGOcontinued on page 12) whove already started the process. (THICKETcontinued on page 12)'