Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Daniel B. Maffei traveled to Southern California last month to speak at the Intermodal Association of North America’s (IANA) Intermodal EXPO, meet with representatives of the Harbor Truckers Association (HTA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), and visit the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
During his remarks at the IANA Intermodal Expo, Chairman Maffei highlighted the importance of the ocean-linked supply chain and the public’s awareness of supply chain issues in the post-COVID era.
Chairman Maffei noted the “incredible power of container shipping to sustain a global economy under the worst of circumstances” that the pandemic brought about, while, at the same time, revealing the fragility of the ocean-linked supply chain system. Chairman Maffei underscored the important role that the Federal Maritime Commission continues to play in ensuring a competitive and reliable international ocean transportation supply system.
While in the Los Angeles and Long Beach area, Chairman Maffei took the opportunity to meet with members of the Harbor Truckers Association. The Chairman discussed ongoing challenges faced by the trucking community in Southern California and, more broadly, across the country. Chairman Maffei also met with a representative of the ILWU in San Pedro, California.
Chairman Maffei met with Gene Seroka, Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles, and Mario Cordero, Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Long Beach, to discuss the ports’ operational challenges and their growth in volume over the recent years.
Finally, Chairman Maffei attended the annual CONNIE Awards Dinner. This year’s honoree was Roger Guenther, former Executive Director for Port Houston.
Chairman Daniel B. Maffei is a Commissioner with the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission. The thoughts and comments expressed here are his own and do not necessarily represent the position of the Commission.