America’s two largest ports have witnessed an unprecedented rise in cargo theft cases in the backdrop of a record backlog of container vessels in the San Pedro Bay. Cargo theft worth US$5 million has been recorded along the US West coast, that too in just the third quarter of 2021.
The data cited by CargoNet, a cargo theft recovery and prevention network, shows a 42% rise in cargo theft cases in comparison to the same quarter of last year.
The company revealed that cargo worth US$45 million, especially computer electronics and refrigerated food cargo, had been stolen during the first nine months of 2021 against a total of US$68 million throughout 2020.
The biggest cause of this surge is the lapse in container handling at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which have been working at exhausted capacity since late August with growing logjams. According to the Marine Exchange of Southern California, more than 102 container ships were waiting to get docked at these ports on 3 November.
Despite the claims by port officials of containers being stored at secure locations, the persistent backlog and nationwide shortage of truck drivers and rail transport services have provided ample opportunities for cargo thefts.
Recently a local television outlet released chopper footage capturing thousands of containers fallen off Union Pacific trains along the railway tracks close to Los Angeles. The Railroad operator also admitted to witnessing a spike in break-ins, especially in the downtown area of the city.
Even though the Los Angeles port is now acting firm to ensure the regular frequency of outward flow of containers with levying of charges of US$100 per day for each truck-bound container that’s left for nine days or more, the decision of President Biden to implement 24/7 work schedule at the two ports will increase the number of containers vulnerable to cargo theft.
CargoNet said in its most recent quarterly update, “Entering into the final quarter of 2021, CargoNet expects that theft activity will remain elevated.” They also expect a rise in cargo theft cases in the states of Texas and Florida.
Ankur Kundu
Correspondent
