Hawaii Shippers Council discusses shipping issues on Guam radio

by Michael N Hansen, President, Hawaii Shippers' Council

Mike Hansen, President of the Hawaii Shippers Council (HSC) was interviewed by K57 Guam’s leading talk radio host Ray Gibson on Tuesday, January 21, 2015 Hawaii Time regarding two current maritime issues facing both Hawaii and Guam.

In the first segment of the interview Mike Hansen and Ray Gibson discusses the breakdown in negotiations between the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) representing the shipping companies and terminal operators and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) representing some 20,000 stevedores and wharf clerics at 29 ports up and down the U.S. West Coast.  The ILWU has withheld labor from the container yard operations resulting in severe congestion and long delays in delivering container cargo.  The last contract expired on July 1, 2014, and they have been working without since then. The fear is that the deadlock will lead to a labor walkout or an employer lockout stopping all cargo movements through U.S. West Coast ports impacting Hawaii and Guam.

In the second segment Mike Hansen and Ray Gibson discuss Senator John S. McCain’s amendment filed on January 13, 2015 to the U.S. Senate’s version of the Keystone XL Pipeline Act (S. 1).  Sen McCain’s amendment is a rider and would virtually eliminate the domestic vessel build requirement of the Jones Act and other U.S. cabotage laws.  The cost of Jones Act shipping is a major issue in the noncontiguous trades – Alaska, Guam, Hawaii and Puerto Rico – and Sen. McCain’s amendment would significantly lower the barriers to entry and make the trades more contestable.

The links to the interviews are below.

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The Hawaii Shippers' Council (HSC) is a business league organization (IRS 501-c-6) incorporated in 1997 to represent cargo interests -- known as "shippers" -- who tender goods for shipment with the ocean carriers operating in the Hawaii trade.

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Mike Hansen with Ray Gibson Interview Part 1

West Coast Port Slowdown

The breakdown in negotiations between the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU)

Thursday, January 22, 2015 Chamorro Standard Time (UTC+10 hours)

http://pacificnewscenter.com/pnc-k57-interviews/item/1756-mike-hansen-with-ray-gibson-part-one-interview

Mike Hansen with Ray Gibson Interview Part 2

Sen McCain’s amendment to the Keystone XL Pipeline Act

The amendment would eliminate the U.S. build requirement and possibly the U.S. ownership requirement of the Jones Act.

Thursday, January 22, 2015 Chamorro Standard Time (UTC+10 hours)

http://pacificnewscenter.com/pnc-k57-interviews/item/1757-mike-hansen-with-ray-gibson-part-two-interview