Goods 'held hostage’ at the Port of Oakland, merchants complain

The various entities operating at the Port of Oakland — shippers, terminal operators, truckers — aren’t the only ones tangled in a logjam that’s resulting in lost business, higher costs, frayed nerves and potentially lasting effects on Oakland and other West Coast ports.

“Right now we have a container at the port of Oakland that is being held hostage by this situation,” the owner of a small home furnishings business in the Bay Area e-mailed me after reading my column Saturday about the situation at West Coast ports.

The measures include opening a Sunday gate at the most congested terminal — Ports America Outer Harbor — and daily updates “sent to hundreds of harbor truckers, ocean carriers and shippers to improve supply chain planning.”

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union, which is negotiating with the Pacific Maritime Association to end the six-month contract standoff, praised the Port of Oakland’s latest moves.

“The decision to increase night work at the Port of Oakland is a smart strategic decision, because it helps address the congestion crisis here,” said Craig Merrilees, communications director for ILWU Local 10.

Oakland is now in a stronger position to help customers and dockworkers by helping to address the frustrating and dangerous congestion crisis.

“The loss of having the goods to sell is one hit, but we can take it,” continued said the home furnishings proprietor.