Commercial revenues and freight volumes are down everywhere in the San Francisco Bay, with all port authorities saying that business has never been worse.
By Paul Duclos
Published: March, 2009
Commercial revenues and freight volumes are down everywhere in the San Francisco Bay, with all port authorities saying that business has never been worse. But at least Bay shippers did not have to contend with a genuine catastrophe this year.
As reported in the San Francisco Chronicle, decisive action by the ship pilot in control of the tanker Overseas Cleliamar helped prevent what could have been a serious accident in the Golden Gate. Capt. Dave McCloy, a bar pilot with not more than a year’s experience on the job, stopped the oil tanker from running aground on the Marin Headlands by boldly laying anchor after the vessel lost engine power and steering.
The Chronicle reported that, at the time of the incident, the tanker had no oil cargo, having just unloaded in Martinez. Hence, it did not have a tug escort, but its large fuel tanks were full and could have caused a catastrophe. When the situation developed, a tug in the vicinity responded to offer its assistance. Shortly thereafter, five other tugs and the Coast Guard also responded.
It should be noted that that McCloy received his education on emergency response at California Maritime Academy in Vallejo, a storied institution that this column has often covered.
APL to Pay Fine in Justice Department Investigation
On a decidedly less positive note, Bay Crossings learned last month that Oakland-based APL Ltd. has agreed to pay $26.3 million to resolve allegations that it submitted false claims to the United States in connection with contracts to transport cargo in shipping containers to support U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
According the U.S. Department of Justice, APL knowingly overcharged and double-billed the Defense Department to transport thousands of containers from ports to inland delivery destinations in Iraq and Afghanistan. As reported here last month, the legendary shipping company will soon be moving its U.S. headquarters out of the San Francisco Bay Area to Phoenix, Arizona.
Roundtable Event Focuses on Wine Shipping
The Homeric vision of wine and shipping was invoked at last month’s meeting of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals’ Roundtable in Pleasanton.
Ernie Chachere, vice president of Supply Chain for E. & J. Gallo, and Carol Thomson, chief operating officer of New Vine Logistics, were the principal speakers at this informational event, which was staged at FAZ Restaurant.While many of us enjoy the benefits of our world famous wine region, few may think much about the unique demands of managing the wine supply chain. Since the repeal of Prohibition, wine, beer and spirits must be sold through distributors in most of the United States. The discossion covered the additional challenges that come with the high-value and perishable nature of the product, and the recent changes in direct to consumer and retail to consumer fulfillment channels.
This is just one of several intriguing dinner programs put on each year by this dynamic shipping organization. For more information, visit www.cscmp.org.
