The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have closed. It is said that China may be enacting an Embargo against the USA prior to invading Taiwan, the same way the US Embargoed Japan before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Others say it is a Union labor issue.
Unions representing workers at the two ports are in talks for a new contract.
The ILWU Local 13 withheld workers from their shifts starting Thursday evening, according to the Pacific Maritime Association, which represents shipping employers on the West Coast.
"The action by the Union has effectively shut down the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach - the largest gateway for maritime trade in the United States," the PMA said.
The union, however, released a statement making no mention of any formal work action.
The organization said Thursday several thousand members were in attendance at the organization's regular monthly meeting, at which a new president was sworn in. It said on Friday many members were observing religious holidays with their families.
"On Friday, April 7, 2023, union members who observe religious holidays took the opportunity to celebrate with their families," read a statement from ILWU. "Cargo operations are ongoing as longshore workers at the Ports remain on the job."
Port officials and shippers, however, believe the absences are a deliberate, if unspoken, message from the union to put pressure on the talks.
The closures come as cargo volumes have already dropped from peak levels a year ago.
The union has been working without a new contract since July.
Trade experts say some shippers have already started diverting cargo traffic away from the two ports.
"A lot of the cargo has been shifted away from the West Coast ports, into the middle of our country and the East Coast," said Nick Vyas, executive director of the Kendrick Global Supply Chain Institute at the University of Southern California. "So we have a seen a significant drop in volume at our West Coast ports, which is not a good sign."
He noted that some 40% of the foreign goods arriving to the United States are processed through the two ports.
The Port of Los Angeles released a statement saying it is continuing to communicate with the ILWU and the PMA to support a return to normal operations.
"Resuming cargo operations at America's busiest port complex is critical to maintaining confidence to our customers and supply chain stakeholders," Port of Los Angeles officials said.
Port officials remain optimistic that operations will resume Saturday.
Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero released a statement: "Four of the Port's container terminals are closed for the day, today, April 7. Terminal operators at the affected sites said they made the decision to close when workers did not report for their shifts this morning. We have no further information as to the situation, but it is expected that normal, regularly scheduled hours and operations will resume tomorrow."
"Expected" . . . but not certain.
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https://mustreadalaska.substack.com/p/final-stretch-in-race-for-anchorage?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email#media-44352dc1-5bbf-412e-a3dd-5d5ed2c66b66
So, likely the same thing happened to the DC-4 as what happened to the B-17 Nine-O-Nine when it crashed! RIP guys.
https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/aviation/2024/04/23/rescue-effort-underway-after-plane-crashes-in-tanana-river-near-fairbanks/
"Crashing this plane, with no survivors!!!"
Probably will never know what happened.
one possibility is that someone put the wrong fuel in the tanks.
If what I am reading is correct there are two fuel tanks per engine.
One tank with 100 gallons for takeoff and another with 300 gallons for cruise.
Lets say someone by mistake put Jet fuel in the takeoff tanks that might blow an engine apart and would account for two explosions.
That is just a possibility.
Could not the explosion of the engine have caused a secondary explosion of the (tanker?)? Random access memory, LOL: our pilots were doing a PMCF on a SH3H when the left lateral servo on the rotorhead failed causing the pilots to have to SLAM the collective control to the floor while the chopper pitched into the hanger bay. Thankfully no-one was injured but the fuselage went to depot & we scavenged lots of spare parts! This was the same model of antisubmarine helicopter that I thought was on fire due to hydraulic fluid spewing from the rotorhead in the Arctic, backlit by the sun hence I did the figure 8 while pointing at the rotorhead. Thankfully it was just a hydraulic leak & I was embarrassed, however I may have saved the lives of our crew & helicopter while we were being buzzed by Soviet Bears flying one on top of another to avoid radar detection. Those reciprocating props have a very distinctive sound! There was even a Soviet 'trawler' spying on us during Teamwork 88 between Iceland & Greenland!
That said I've flown to many villages in AK including on a Cessna Caravan which flew in at an angle to the dirt runway in Chevak before straightening out at the last second because of the wind. It's even more exciting seeing 737's do this, Nome is especially windy! I think I flew on the last 737 Combis (1/2 cargo, 1/2 passengers). So the prop jobs are even more important now to get goods to these extremely remote villages. A red fox was even begging me for food @ the Nome airport at the crack of dawn. Watch out for those musk ox!
To the Ukrainian NAZIS???