US Needs National Freight Strategy to Address Port Issues, Industry Officials Say
U.S. ports and the broader freight transportation network are still facing significant backlogs and extreme pressure from congested global supply chains, industry officials told a Senate subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Maritime, Freight and Ports May 11. Some officials called for a clear national strategy to address the issues and provide more funding for ports nationwide.
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Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., said Congress is worried about the “lack of capacity” at the nation’s ports and the “potential long-term impacts the pandemic will have on the freight industry.” Much of the congestion is being caused by an “explosion” in online shopping, which has placed “more freight in the system” and strained U.S. infrastructure, said Lamont Byrd, a union official with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. "Congestion is very impactful," added Chris Spear, president and CEO of the American Trucking Association. "Making that a key component of any legislation would draw a lot of support from ATA."
To address the congestion, the U.S. government should “develop and fund a robust national freight strategy to remain competitive in the global economy,” said Chris Connor, president and CEO of the American Association of Port Authorities. He said ports “across the country” were glad that President Joe Biden’s jobs plan includes funding for ports and urged Congress to act on those proposals. “Investments such as those will be critical to ensuring that the U.S. has a 21st century, multimodal freight network to compete globally,” Connor said.