Trade
LA Port Chief Sees Labor Deal by February Luring Cargo From East
- Seroka says 20% of cargo lost to other ports, 5% permanent
- LA port may try aggressive pricing to get clients back
Gene Seroka
Photographer: Allison Zaucha/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The chief of the busiest US West Coast port expects a new labor contract for dockworkers in the region to be reached by early February, removing uncertainty for importers and ramping up a campaign to lure back cargo lost to East and Gulf Coast.
“We’ll get through it in the early part of 2023,” either in January or definitely by early February, Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said in an interview Monday, referring to a new deal for West Coast maritime employees. “And then it’s a matter of how much cargo shifts back because folks had that supply chain working and oiled the right way, and how much we’ve really got to go rustle back.”