Total Terminals International is the launch partner for the Port of Long Beach’s new initiative to increase cargo velocity by expanding gate hours for truck pickup. The move comes amid a huge container surge that is choking productivity and jeopardizing retailers’ holiday deliveries.
The operator of the port’s largest container terminal, located on Pier T, will encourage truckers to make late-night and pre-dawn trips for containers by offering more flexible appointment windows. Shuttle drivers will be able to pick up containers from 11 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays. The gates will be open for prearranged double moves — empty container drop-off plus loaded pickup — between 3 and 7 a.m. In both cases, drivers with appointments will be able to show up at any time rather than being held to a strict reservation slot, the port authority said Tuesday.