Trump Backs Longshoremen in Port Automation Dispute | ILA vs USMX Positions | What Automation Means?

[@mystryfine3481]

Big fan of fact based podcasts with experts like Sal.

[@dertythegrower]

same ❤

[@olpaint71]

Too bad this video isn't one of them.

[@KathyWhiplash]

"I have studied automation and know just about everything there is to know about it." 🤡🥸🤣

[@crackasaurus_rox9740]

Problem is, in the window of operability, the facts he presents are trivial. It would be cheaper to pay all 85k members to do nothing than let them, more or less, get in the way

[@wgowshipping]

@@olpaint71 How so Ol'paint? I am curious what is factually incorrect or that I omitted.

[@alabamatechwriter6959]

"FRICKEN" : When Sal says, "fricken," you know he's passionate about the subject.

[@emcarnahan]

“…for G… for Pete’s sake!” 😃

[@blaydCA]

Butt load as an economic unit was alarming also. That's one step below shytload!

[@wgowshipping]

@@alabamatechwriter6959 You all are making me question my language. 🤣🤣🤣

[@blaydCA]

@@wgowshipping I'm a former Shipyard Worker, so everyfcking other fcking word is..... .. well guess. LoL Edit: it's fcking perfect in my book.

[@stuartkcalvin]

Absolutely.

[@TX-biker]

Once again - you give THE BEST full picture of an issue. All sides are shown / discussed and it’s never a simple answer. Your common sense approach is why I watch. 👍🏽🤠

[@StubbyPhillips]

Wait, what!? You're saying one side isn't completely wrong and the other side isn't completely right? Whoah, dude... What a concept! That's how things were back in the days before social media!

[@wgowshipping]

Some people need to hear this.

[@KathyWhiplash]

"I've studied automation and know just about everything there is to know about it." (comma corrected because he studied grammar too) 😂

[@grizzz6884]

@@KathyWhiplash tjhe grama police ae why nothing work any more just a few years back the workers that are the life blood of the rich and famous couldn't read or wright

[@karleiholzer3066]

Even before social media I think a lot of people struggled with understanding the world is not black-and-white. But yeah, has not gotten any better with people retreating into their own echo chambers.

[@0guiteo]

I learn much from each of these videos. I never knew I was interested in shipping until I started watching Sal.

[@jameswiest]

Remember, he lies about every goddamn thing no matter what it is you think he’s backing them back and nobody the only person he himself

[@Syl-Vee]

Hahaha I loved your description of L.A. and Long Beach traffic. When I lived in the Valley a trip to Long Beach was planned in advance like a journey out of state.

[@shauny2285]

I remember when the 710 freeway was full of potholes as you neared the port of Long Beach. Much improved after they resurfaced it.

[@N1njaSnake]

As a tourist, I drove around the area after visiting the USS Iowa. Amazing sights for a shipping fan but my god, the traffic.

[@williamjernigan2212]

Thank you.I am a checker in the ila 34 years.my son is the 5th generation in my family. The port is the driving force in N.C. most people do not understand unions in inport exports industries. This video is the best explanation iv heard yet.we could use you in our negotiations.thank you again.

[@justinambrose5808]

24 year checker in SAV. Local 1475. Union Strong!!

[@jlongshoreman8493]

Truth

[@ric8013]

I think I knew your Dad at POW Rick

[@williamjernigan2212]

​@ric8013 his name Alton he was the president of local 1766. Good chance u did.

[@jkf663]

Sal, your channel & podcasts are a primary source of information for me, of what's happening in the world. The impact of what's happening on the waters of our world are key indicators of much more than just that. I.e., the follow-on effects and possible and potential consequences. Thanks!

[@michaels1997]

That was just brilliant Sal - SO refreshing to have both sides of an argument explained by someone who actually knows what the heck he's talking about! Very best wishes from a cold and rainy UK!

[@charlenefrench5404]

I'm so thankful for this video.

[@deejay8153]

Sal I’ve been watching your channel pretty much from its inception and I have to say this is the most fired up and emotional you’ve been. Love it😊. It really shows you not only are a book of knowledge on the subjects you discuss but you also care and enjoy the interaction. Keep up the great work

[@paddyneill1964]

Sal, the way you explain things is the only way I can understand them. Fricken thank you 🤣

[@Glen.1966..]

Big thumbs up 👍👍 to you Sal and you're You Tube Channel, always keeping us informed on recent shipping news with an in depth overview! Keep up the amazing work Sal! 😉👍

[@sp1nrx]

Apps like Waze have destroyed alternative routes. Now everyone knows the "secret" ways around the area.

[@maryistulsafox]

As an OTR driver, YES better roads!

[@4fuzzybear]

And make the $$collected from foreign tariffs pay for it.

[@bighead_77]

Dumb and Dumber

[@bobshowrocks]

We'll see how long this lasts. I'm guessing about 2 days.

[@questioneverything9535]

​@@JeffBilkinsElon has enough money.

[@GeorgeWashingtonLaserMusket]

@@questioneverything9535 Elon is a conspiracy theory pushing moron who takes credit for the engineering work of entire teams just because he pays them. I'd rather keep him away from something is CRITICAL as shipping. Have you seen what his management did to X formerly known as the thing most people still call it, Twitter. Twitter was so popular the word Tweet was part of our culture; he drove it into the ground. If it weren't for the fact his other companies value come from the product they sale and not their brand he'd be bankrupt. But not gonna lie, he has done very well for the humble son of some South African imperialist apartheid diamond mine owners.

[@jonkeau5155]

JD Vance has a history of being pro union so 🤷‍♂️ maybe it’s a new direction. The thing I’ve realized about Trump is he’s willing to learn and change his position if he feels it’s right and has the information he needs.

[@gehwissen3975]

​@@jonkeau5155"Hegseth" 😂

[@SamuelRochester-p2k]

?

[@electrochaser8154]

“If you can’t get the kiosk to work 100% of the time “ I have worked in automation across many industries. It never will work 100% of the time. And when it fails it takes humans to fix.

[@phlogistanjones2722]

Not *strictly* true. I have experience with "expert systems" and we have employed machine level fixes for malfunctions. We have been able in a large minority of cases to have expert systems which can assess malfs, diagnose system states, debug and plan corrective actions and then implement the designed corrective actions. Not surprisingly they THEN require an inordinate amount of personnel to spend an inordinate amount of time fixing them when the majority of said systems do not get ***correctly*** "auto-fixed". We postulate that perhaps if we can get the non-fail-safe states to less than 3-5% it *might* be ***financially*** advantageous. The loss of function to "human interactions" would be a deal breaker though if you actually cared about human beings in the loop. If you are a corpo overlord that calculus involves lawsuits and shareholder revolts so I see a dim and dystopian future eventually. It really does appear some of us are engineering the mechanisms of our own demise. This does not make me sanguine. Peaceful Skies

[@davidgkirk]

I like the kiosks at Panera because they save your favorite items. It's much faster to reorder my saved customized sandwich.

[@pfsteinbach]

Thank you, Sal. I'm not in the shipping business, but I appreciate your honesty and the deep well of experience you draw from to support your honest viewpoints.

[@chetcalhoun613]

Great video Sal! Very informative on how this really works. People still matter. Let’s keep the jobs for our people! Keep doing what you do-very interesting!

[@nickripostella5865]

I'm sure every union has always made credible arguments against automation but as the technology improves more automation is inevitable. Protectionism in all forms usually helps a few versus more widespread benefits.

[@waltermh111]

Yeah, this is a tough situation but at this point I think this guy made a better argument than Stossel who doesn't really understand the issues. Automation is the future but we may not be there just yet and the companies seem to be trying hard to reduce labor costs for little benefit. I work in the airline industry where a little tech is used on the equipment but there's so much it's not even close to ready for yet. I feel like we won't save nearly enough to be worth it yet. Trump is looking at the big picture in the moment. He's very pro business so if he thought he would be worth it he would surely go for it.

[@brianpesci]

This is an excellent synopsis of the basic issues of the disputes between the unions and the shipping giants. Keep support for the workers who have a very hazardous occupation and are beyond being critical workers for our economy. Great job paisano.

[@jimmyjames2022]

"This" Sal can't be an AI yet cause "this" Sal is balanced and rational and considerate of human beings.

[@MADHIKER777]

I remember during the Covid days of the supply chain crisis that trucks and rail capacity was the holdup and the accumulation of empty cont in the wrong places were huge factors causing problems. Simply increasing the theoretical efficiency within just the port doesn't go far enough on its own.

[@saltymonke3682]

@@MADHIKER777 easy, the fired loongshoremen will be truckers

[@CandyVan69]

Chump did nothing back then

[@adrianklaver113]

I was waiting for the moment when you levitated out of the chair:) I have been involved with or exposed to automation in a couple of different industries. It is a difficult process that has benefits and drawbacks and that can end up in either the overall + or - column. And yes machines can end up doing unexpected things. I had an watering robot in a greenhouse launch off it's rail and land on me, words where said. Luckily the machine was fairly light and I ended up with minor bruising and lower expectations for the process.

[@chachis-censored]

Replacing irrigation systems with a robot is the opposite of progress.

[@adrianklaver113]

@@chachis-censored It was a boom irrigation system that allowed for differential watering based on reading barcodes. The installation I referred to was an a prototype and had some issues. It had potential, though it would have been more suited to a larger setup then what we where working with.

[@harrickvharrick3957]

Sal, I am sorry but what you say about the Port of Rotterdam is incorrect and I REALLY wonder what you did base that on. It's simply incorrect that the majority of containers that arrive in Rotterdam, stay there. Containers that arrive in Rotterdam are either for the domestic market, or go to all of Europe. That could be by tractor-trailer, over water, mainly over the rivers (most of which would go east, but some may be south- or northbound), or by rail (which has dedicated tracks for freight including bulk). Rotterdam has always fulfilled a role as The main seaport for the German 'hinterland' and especially Germany's Ruhrgebiet with its vast industrial zones situated around the main rivers that flow through Germany to end up at the Dutch North Sea coast. There are dedicated freight rail lines that run directly from Rotterdam to Germany, and of the three other main rivers besides the Rhein (that has its origins way way east of them), one also directly connects Rotterdam with Germany, forming a connection for those industries of theirs with the sea (the rest of the world). That makes it a practical - if not the ideal - port for shipping anything their way (or anything that would be coming from them). Both trains and inland vessels transport containers or bulk material. Of course transport by rail or over water only makes sense for specific, somewhat larger quantities and neither of both methods come close enough to all destinations to make sense as a mode of transport in every single case. Transport over the road is much more flexible and will directly deliver the goods at your door, regardless of where that would be. Trucks of course can only move a few individual containers per haul and therefore also will more often be selected for delivery of small(er) numbers. Geographically, Rotterdam is ideally situated for serving a somewhat more northerly section of the west-European mainland (although it handles some materials for the UK, Ireland and all the rest of Europe as well, when that would come out as the cheapest or otherwise most feasible choice) plus it has great road, rail and waterway connections in 'all' those directions. A lot of industry within its pretty much immediate reach through this port receive the bulk materials they require. What you are saying about containers 'staying at a port, never leaving it' sounds like a hollow, meaningless statement to me. (A one-of for you, as you usually make sense.) Things NEVER stay at ANY port. Now what you were talking about in that context was containers being put onto OTHER ships and only leaving THAT way again, I know. But even so what you say in the video STILL makes no sense! After all, what (other) function does a port serve, EVER, if it is not loading containers (or bulk materials) over so that they can continue their way, regardless what direction, regardless their final destination? What else did any port ever do than offloading stuff from the ship that brought it in and load it onto another type of transport? AND: What difference does it make for assessment of any pretty whether they load stuff from one ship onto another or whether they load it onto other means of transport? Why would it make any difference for (functionality, quality, ... of) that port what form of transport will take care of the following / next /final leg of the route? What difference does it make whether it goes out again over sea, or via inland shipping, trucks, or by train? I hope you understand that neither of them would specifically mean less work for the port in terms of logistics? The containers you offload are gonna have to be stacked somewhere, and as the number of them might be anywhere from hundreds to thousands, organizing and keeping track of where you put them down and consequently getting to them again and individually load them onto a train, a truck, an inland ship, all of which will require those containers to first be taken to a different part of the port, a different quay, or a loading zone, which requires you to get access to them in-between the enormous number of them that you just have stacked up while you didn't have a lot of possibilities to do any preselecting, after all you put them down in the same order as you get them off the ship, that may just be the hardest part of all the challenges organising any operation like that could bring with it. Yeah, you may be right in that regard that it WOULD sound easier to load them back up onto ANOTHER seafaring vessel... but that is not how it works! Seafaring vessels that deliver containers will bring them straight to the port that is closest to their destination (over land of via inland routes). If half that load is to be brought to another port, they are gonna SAIL to that port THEMSELVES. What they DO do is take new cargo on board that is outgoing from that port they already went to deliver goods anyway, and they often do SAIL ON to one, two or more ports, at which places they will do precisely the same thing. Containers SELDOMLY ARE transferred from one seagoing vessel onto another seasoning vessel. That would only happen for small numbers and only when those are destined for a port they would not go themselves and only when another ship, one that will moor where they are at, is gonna sail that way anyway. If it is half of the whole quantity they already brought halfway around the globe, THEY WILL SAIL THERE THEMSELVES! So, I REALLY do not understand where you're coming from when you are not only talking about 'trans-shipping' as if that's a(ny major) thing, but ALSO talk about that as if that would be something that would TAKE AWAY from the function(ality) of any harbor, or from its importance as a facility, or from its quality... and you base that statement (solely, solemnly!) on the supposition that such a form of transshipment would be LESS WORK for that port, which seems to consequently bring you to the idea that that port BE CAUSE OF THAT would not count, or at least not at much?? In reality this is something that does not even comesm into play when you'd try to compare how difficult it is for them to perform certain tasks. One simply cannot say just like that that such (supposed) transshipments would make things significantly less hard for them. But as I already laid out, this simply is not a thing ANYWAY. That is, unless you'd want to see (& say) it other way around, in which case you'd have to conclude transshipping is THE ONLY thing that happens, AT ANY PORT. Effectively, shipping things on(wards) is the only thing any active port EVER does. In both cases you're left with little, if anything, that would carry any weight, or shine act light onto things so that it would bring you any closer to act facts comparing a port's functionality and/or its ways of functioning. --- PS Rotterdam lately has been in the news as companies who transport cargo (containers or otherwise) around the globe have complained about its pricing, which they said is up to 4~5 times higher than for instance competing, nearby ports such as Zeebrugge or even Antwerp (up the river that's called the Wester(ly) Schelde as opposed to its equally mistakenly named Easter(ly) brother, the two being situated north and south of each other resp.) in Belgium and find handling there may take place nearly infinitely faster... I did hear about ships that were unloaded/loaded there within 1-2 days instead of some supposed 4 weeks they said it had taken in R'dam!). I suppose these numbers would vary almost infinitely as well, dependent on at least a handful of aspects with regards to the load, from whom it is, where and to whom it goes, whether its paperwork is in order, whether or not they have paid their fees, etc etc, so this may not reflect the standard situation but rather incidental cases. ---

[@Gav_Jam]

Thanks professor, I have no reason at all to watch this but you just have a really engaging style that keeps me interested.

[@Phantombugle66]

Thanks for this Sal. Very interesting.

[@gordonn4915]

You always point out the truck stuck at the warehouse as a reason for not 24 hour ports. However at Seattle Tacoma we get massive backups of trucks over Snoqualmie pass when the ports close. Maybe a thousand on weekdays but it runs 20 miles of parked trucks on Sunday.

[@SM-if4nz]

They also screw up pass traffic because they don't put on CHAINS!!

[@snarlbuckle]

I wish they could use automation to mostly just increase capacity and pay the workers more for more throughput. Win win for everyone.

[@anthonybanchero3072]

If you automate everything, what jobs will people have, to buy the products?

[@culturevulture3382]

Great to have an informed commentator. Thanks.

[@laylacicconi8447]

Thank you kindly for understanding us longshoremen! My best friend used to chide me about how much we get paid. I asked her what are we doing now and she replied playing a video game together. I said where are you at, she said work! We work our butts off and I’m proud of that! I’ve come home so tired my daughter said she doesn’t want to a Longie because she sees how hard we work❤

[@-Katastrophe]

I like how the guy in the report mentions automation's risk due to cyber attacks yet the end result and a union strike are basically the same.

[@perjorgensen5335]

Passion and knowledge, that's what makes you so valuable Sal.

[@michaelmeehan9083]

Sal, an episode that explains how ports work (how many different terminals in each port under different ownership/management, etc) would be incredibly helpful.

[@clarencewest6418]

Since a large portion of the tech comes from overseas. The security concerns are acritical issue. It needs to be addressed.

[@CarlosMendoza-wt1fk]

Sal is right we need him in this incoming administration! The numbers don’t lie, “productivity is job security “ on the west coast we can get up to 40 plus containers an hour with Manuel labor ,well the new automation terminals are less productive. Less consistent nice work Sal. An accurate discerption of LA/LB operations

[@laylacicconi8447]

Traoac almost went belly up. Notice the transtainers are back!!! Everyone tries to pick up automation side because the comebacks are twice as long! Plus one of those strands almost killed a crane mechanic because it was being driven by some broad down in Huntington Beach. Yeah a non longshoreman can understand the dangerous conditions down there!

[@laurenglass4514]

Incredible explanation that can be understood! Wow!

[@johnbeaulieu2404]

Felixstowe is not a transhipment hub. In Europe like the US East Coast you do not have a single dominant port like LA/LB. Therefor even with the Mega containerships, multiple stops are made in a loop. The reason for using Mega ships is that EU has a population one-third larger than the US, and ports large enough to handle them.

[@AllNighterHeider]

As an economist, automation creates disruptions in virtually all aspects of shipping. These disruptions tend to be a mixed bag, some positive and some negative. This is why Thomas Sowell says there are no solutions, only alternatives. IMO there will always be unintended consequences. Thanks Sal

[@_Ben4810]

🤣🤣🤯🤣...... Best to stick to number-crunching...🙄

[@AllNighterHeider]

@_Ben4810 do you disagree with my assessment? I am also a contractor and commercial fisherman is those disqualify me anymore 🤣🤣

[@mediocreman2]

No solutions, only compromises.

[@AllNighterHeider]

@mediocreman2 thank you, that's why I didn't use "quotes", I knew better

[@samnater]

We like you young and wise just the way you are Sal.

[@mrw417]

In the 80's all the "experts" said automobile assembly would very soon happen around the clock in "dark factories" because the automation would be so perfect no humans would need to enter the facility. Here we are in 2024 and assembly plants are well flighted and full of workers. Welding and painting are done by robots, but the dark factory didn't happen because vehicle assembly is complicated and automation doesn't fix itself.

[@kevinconville3199]

Thanks!

[@wgowshipping]

You bet!

[@stevebriggs9399]

Sal makes a pretty good argument as to why automation isn't the solution that the Maritime Alliance claims it to be.

[@jasonb9152]

Uhhhh… so, in the end a lack of automation means less efficiency (getting goods to Americans slower & to foreign markets slower), and labor costs going up b/c the ILA will drive up rates, which means huge increases for American consumers in the price of goods they will have to pay for because the carriers will charge more to compensate for the increased cost of doing business in the US. So the ILA is happy, but the rest of us in the USA will pay more. Oh yeah, that makes sense. Daggertt states he doesn’t even want the possibility of future automation, well that makes no sense as the world develops around us. He doesn’t even want automated gates in mobile, how is that a good thing?

[@saltymonke3682]

Then what is it? ILA refused the implementation of the container system decades ago and wanted to unload every goods from container in the port. Not in your warehouse, but in the port. Then trucks have to go to your warehouse without the containers. Thats ILA for you. Imagine doing that today.

[@stevebriggs9399]

@jasonb9152 What Sal is saying is that automating US east coast ports does NOT increase the speed of the transfer of goods to the US consumer.

[@Yokes27]

Damn your fired up and that's AWESOME

[@jamesallen8838]

I loved this episode. When only one side talks it is hard to make an unbiased opinion

[@sp1nrx]

Automation costs a lot of money BUT those costs get depreciated and, in a sense, is indirectly subsidized by reduced taxes or tax credits. Labor is inherently costly due to regulations (both union and government) and taxes on labor. *Properly* automated processes have quick payback.

[@bcdrummer1962]

Nor for all the laid off workers.

[@RadarLeon]

​@@bcdrummer1962The port authority doesn't care about their workers like many other corporations.

[@mediocreman2]

Not to mention inflated salaries for union members.

[@bcdrummer1962]

@@mediocreman2 yeah pay them a mediocre salary, or just get rid of them, right dude?

[@bps7209]

@@bcdrummer1962mediocre? That’s laughable.

[@EricSRH]

Love the energy

[@tommychew6544]

I enjoyed the episode completely! I just hope people can see it for what it is and means. Do we not have thinkers today that understand things at this level?!

[@additudeobx]

Automation. It can be delayed, but it can't be stopped. The dock workers need to read the writing on the wall. Unloading and loading of container ships can be automated. It will happen.

[@ericfielding2540]

Sal is more energetic than usual in this video, so he is talking about something he knows well and cares about. Makes sense that Trump would support the ILA against the alliance of foreign shipping companies bringing goods to the USA, even though he has not supported unions at US companies. I did not realize that the dockworkers on the West Coast and East Coast have different unions.

[@mderline4412]

*Sal, no stinkin robot can replace you!!*

[@blaydCA]

@@mderline4412 Max Headroom would differ with that opinion.

[@johngrimm511]

Thank you Sal. About time someone reports the truth about this.

[@ttystikkrocks1042]

When I open a What's Going On With Shipping video, i can be sure I'm getting the straight story and boy, did this episode deliver! Personally, i think the weakest link in cargo movement in America is not the ports, it's our miserable excuse for railways.

[@jamesgray6238]

I feel the push for Automation in the North American context is mostly about weakening Union's ability to effectively strike. Machines can be operated with fewer scabs, plus repair technicians and automation support people could come in unionized.

[@petertimowreef9085]

"I've studied automation and know just about everything there is to know about it."Do you believe that?

[@wgowshipping]

No

[@petertimowreef9085]

@@wgowshipping So why believe anything else he says?

[@davidgkirk]

Fun fact: Despite car manufacturing being highly automated, it takes MORE people today to design and build a car. Cars are becoming more and more complex requiring more people in the supply chain. When companies save money by automation, they will often add features to the products. This is one reason the U.S. adds millions of jobs per year despite increased automation. Automation also creates addition markets - the printing press circa 1500's ended the job of the scribe, but created the newspaper, book, and magazine industries.

[@sir1junior]

26:25 Your right here in Charleston we still have room for a couple new ports or expansions in general.

[@robhaythorne4464]

Would love to see Sal and John Stossel talk this out with each other.

[@bobdavis3357]

I'm against automation replacing the ILA workers, PERIOD.

[@OpenThisGate87]

Automation with prevent a lot of freight from getting damaged. Especially ltl freight that is difficult to stack securely.

[@user-bt8vn3dj6o]

I am surprised the ILA approves of a container ship.

[@JohnnyMotel99]

I’m certain they’d prefer on pallet at a time, each one meticulously loaded on and off the ships.

[@blaydCA]

Union members HAVE burned and sank cargo ships in past. Back in the day of bags and boxes loaded onto a cargo net. Evidently containers are a lot safer to handle.

[@peterfireflylund]

@@JohnnyMotel99and easier to steal from.

[@JeffBilkins]

15:45 this graph is kinda important to the whole discussion.

[@wgowshipping]

I agree!

[@olpaint71]

It's a great illustration why the ILA is wrong. There's still going to be jobs. There will be some losses in the ports, but we have a lot of good paying jobs outside the ports that companies are struggling to fill. So its not like the jobs that are at risk due to possible automation are going to result in people working minimum wage jobs or on the dole. If we were being smart about our ports, some of those lost tractor driver jobs could be replaced with drayage to inland transmodal & storage terminals, freeing up the port real estate where costs (labor, taxes, land use, congestion) are high. But the ILA would rather keep our cities congested, the anchorages full of ships waiting to discharge, and trucks and trains idle in inner cities.

[@wgowshipping]

@olpaint71 The congestion in the cities would be worse if you increase the throughput of the ports without correcting the infrastructure issues that would have to be paid for by the local communities. The anchorages are not full.

[@olpaint71]

@@wgowshipping I didn't say the infrastructure issues shouldn't be corrected. I think it's all part of the same equation--our need for a national maritime strategy that rebuilds, our merchant marine, our ports, our navy, our railroads, our river systems, and the industrial base that goes along with it. A port is only as good as its linkage to the rest of the logistics chain. You brought up idled trucks during the supply chain crisis as an impediment to 24/7 operations. At that time, there were ships backed up off of our ports waiting to offload, too. As you well know. An efficient port system (i.e. one NOT designed by MBAs) should have the latent capacity to handle throughput surges. Relying on arcane, paper-based systems with expensive, poorly utilized labor provides zero surge capacity.

[@wgowshipping]

@@olpaint71 The ships waiting to offload was not due to the ILWU in LA/LB but because the port could not clear the cargo into the inland transportation system. Railroads were slammed - remember the looting along the Alameda Corridor. The warehouses were full in the Inland Empire. Dryage that normally did three runs a day were lucky to do one. There are many issues that make US ports inefficient. Fixing those outside the ports would be paid for by Americans whereas the shipping companies, will pay for terminal upgrades.

[@adamwhite3584]

Started watching Sal over the plastic submarine and never stopped

[@John-dg7xs]

We continue to break records here in NJ with zero automation, and the least amount of time lost due to accidents or injury. ILA all day

[@richardgraham1167]

Automation will happen eventually, there is no stopping overall efficiency.

[@tomseagraves]

I appreciate your channel Sal. Always great info from you.

[@seanworkman431]

In Australia we had a telecommunications network go down for a day, as many people now use their phone to make payments it was a nightmare as people could not pay. Also many eftpos terminals failed causing businesses to close for the day. It was caused by computer error.

[@saltymonke3682]

So should we get back to paper bureaucracy and mails?

[@ric8013]

Sal so enjoyed your port automation discussions. First I spent over 33 years with the NC Ports . I retired in 2013, I got to see a lot of the early automation at the gates and container yards along with the new container cranes and container yard RTGs . Anyway there is not enough waterfront real estate at most American ports to do a large scale port automation. Like you said Sal, better put money into our roads and rails in the short term.

[@joshinnc1520]

I say that we should automate what we SAFELY can. Safe in the physical and security sense. Less people working there will save the customers money on shipping costs, eventually... This can't be done all at once, like you said, little by little. Sal, you're forgetting the automation engineers and technicians who will work there after automation.

[@blaydCA]

@@joshinnc1520 Consumers won't see the savings passed to them. Oligarchs will though. Eventually it will all crash down though. It always does, eventually.

[@Darkmae]

I say we should automate as little as possible because this is people's livelihoods and the only benefit for these foreign multibillionaires is more profits. They don't need more profits.

[@gvibration1]

​@@blaydCAthat thinking would have prevented the industrial revolution.

[@rustyshackleford324]

@@gvibration1except it wouldn't have

[@blaydCA]

@@gvibration1 The port costs amount to very little of the per piece cost of any item. A few pennies each which the consumer will NEVER see. The industrial revolution saved many hours of labor per piece, which was passed along because of competition.

[@alb.7389]

I've been in 3 unions including Maters Mates & Pilots..... Yeah I used to work bulk freighters in the Great Lakes..... I'm not union now ; nor do I want to return to one. I'm not anti-union; some of my progeny are union & I like the fact that I don't have to support them. I'm glad that Trump supports the ILA... I am "Trumper". He's a businessman; & he understands "People" are business. He knows the plan to end the American "experiment" is mainly economics... Go Trump!!! Go Americans!!! Go people of the globe!!! If we stand firm; freedom will survive & thrive!!!!!!!

[@saltymonke3682]

Won't change the fact that the port will automate with or without ILA or Trump. Rotterdam is not a transhipment, there are industries there, and it's been automated for decades. Same with wilhelmshaven and hamburg. Automation in Oz ports have increased the productivity 33%. Automation is cheaper in the long run because the machine won't ask for wage increase for the same rate of productivity. The cost of automation in Rotterdam is around €536 million, their revenue a year has increased more than that since 1990s.

[@wgowshipping]

Rotterdam is a feeder port. www.portofrotterdam.com/en/logistics/connections/deep-sea-and-feeder

[@saltymonke3682]

@wgowshipping so does the New York and New Jersey port then if using their definition and they have fewer industries than Rotterdam. Rotterdam has to be a feeder port because it's at the mouth of the Rhine River and Ruhr valley river system.

[@wgowshipping]

@@saltymonke3682 From the Port of Rotterdam site: "Feeder connections: Rotterdam has a wide range of high-frequency feeder services. With destinations including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Scandinavia and the Baltic States. These connections connect seamlessly to the calls from deep sea vessels in the Port of Rotterdam. Some feeder operators combine their services with short sea shipping, which means that even more departures are possible."

[@saltymonke3682]

@wgowshipping so do the New York-NJ and Jacksonville then.

[@saltymonke3682]

@wgowshipping so do the New York-NJ and Jacksonville then.

[@maronily]

You are great 🎉

[@mtm101designs9]

As a long time viewer I appreciate your presentation of both sides of situations.

[@wgowshipping]

I try

[@cleroyster2610]

Good shit on this channel. Go for it, Sal.

[@jasonb9152]

Uhhhh… so, in the end a lack of automation means less efficiency (getting goods to Americans slower & to foreign markets slower), and labor costs going up b/c the ILA will drive up rates, which means huge increases for American consumers in the price of goods they will have to pay for because the carriers will charge more to compensate for the increased cost of doing business in the US. So the ILA is happy, but the rest of us in the USA will pay more. Oh yeah, that makes sense. Daggertt states he doesn’t even want the possibility of future automation, well that makes no sense as the world develops around us. He doesn’t even want automated gates in mobile, how is that a good thing? Automation needs to happen but slowly so as to look after everyone involved (union & the consumer).

[@wgowshipping]

Did you watch where I said that Daggett is wrong to reject all automation?

[@CAPFlyer]

Question for you Sal - I know that on ocean transportation, there's not really a push to "de-containerize" since for so many things it works very well. However, we are seeing signs in trucking and rail pushing back against additional containerization (despite the very public push for "precision scheduled railroading and containerization", there's been a greater increase in unit commodity and general manifest trains). Additionally, several major inland port projects have either stalled or been cancelled because the volume has not continued growing at the pre-COVID pace not just due to the supply chain issues, but also because of the continued lack of truck drivers, and because customers are wanting more shipments that are "Right Sized" for their needs, which in many cases means bulk loading; either Less-Than-Load (truck or rail), or an overall increase that is better handled by commodity railcar than container. With that in mind, do you see this shift on the land-side of operations being a factor in port operators in the US being resistant to invest in automation as well since there might not be the growth to realize the kinds of "efficiency gains" spoken about as well?

[@Jack2Japan]

We f_ckin enjoyed this episode! Go Sal !

[@curtisroberts9137]

What pisses me off is that these corporations are never supposed to see the possiblity of them making less profits so that real people can makedecent paying jobs. Somehow if workers make more money, that hurts consumers because the prices increase, but the billions of dollars in record profits for these companies has no affect on consumers? People say, well these companies are there to make money. SO are the workers. Corporate profits continue to rise while wages and standard of living are stagnant at best. Most Americans are in a much worse spot today than they were 2 years ago, or even 5 years ago, but the companies are making record profits and we should all be happy cuz, "they're in business to make money." None of that even consideres that almost all of these profits are going overseas and some of that money to our enemies. How in the world to we have CCP in negotiation with American unions to supress wages i'll never know. I love your coverage of this Sal. Your doing great work.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

Stop the bus..... do you know what longshoreman make a year?

[@rustyshackleford324]

@@WALTERBROADDUSlongshoremen can make a hefty amount in a year. what's your point?

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

@rustyshackleford324 your comment about the struggle of the proletariat is sort of out of place. This is not exactly low wage serfdom.

[@curtisroberts9137]

@@WALTERBROADDUS they make good money but also doing hard work with long hours in every kind of weather. They are still making a miniscule amount compared with profits of these companies who take that money overseas never to be seen again here in the States. The longshoremen spend money in the States buying cars, homes, clothes for their kids and so on. I'm not saying they are poor, I'm saying why are they the bag guys when profits are at max levels? If paying them costs Americans more and we're supposed to be against that why are we allowing foreign companies to make billions and we're happy about it? Our ports should be owned and operated in America for national security reasons if nothing else. As long as China and others are involved in the negotiations I'm going to back the American worker 100% every time.

[@olpaint71]

Cry me a river. The longshoremen were making well above the median US income under the old contract, plus they get container royalties, plus overtime. Under the new wage scale, they will earn approximately 2x the median income for the US. Not only are they well compensated, they are arguably overcompensated for what is, in many cases, semi-skilled labor. If they want a piece of the shareholder action, they can put their earnings in a brokerage account and buy stocks to collect those dividend payouts. Of course, they might lose money in the stock market when a shipping line goes under. That's the risk. Did the ILA forego wage increases under the previous contract when the USMX was, in Sal's words on the Stossel video "basically breaking even?" No. So why demand a piece of the profits in the good times if you didn't bear the burden in the bad times? We have the CCP in negotiation with unions because the average American decided to throw their fellow Americans under the globalization bus for their own selfish interests. Just like the ILA is currently crowing about their ability to shut down other American workers so that they can pull down ~$130k/year to carry paper bills of lading around.

[@intrepidsoul9871]

I always find your reports to be refreshing and insightful. Your ability to us logic, reason and see the big picture is much appreciated. Especially in this day and age when there seems to be a severe drought of it in every possible way. You, amongst others, do a lot to maintain hope for our future. Best Wishes to you Sal, et al and anybody who reads this. 🤠👍

[@laurenglass4514]

I’d hate to argue football with Sal! Thank you Sal! No AI

[@Frank-hm3ue]

Fabulous edition!! I have worked Longshore it’s not all a bed of roses. Everyone has to give and GET to make things work.

[@ranganuiaotearoa8324]

They tried to automate Auckland (New Zealand) port a few years ago. It’s similar in function (but a lot smaller) thank Long Beach. The automation failed spectacularly and they had to revert to humans.

[@markjohnson8963]

I've learned so much about the whole business of shipping and ports listening to you. I should've earned 3 units in Ports101. The important thing right now is to get our economy healthy. If port workers aren't paid well who's going to buy those $100,000 SUVs and pickups!

[@olpaint71]

The port workers are already paid well. The old contract had them comfortably above the median US income. The new wage structure puts them at ~$130k/year (not including bonuses or overtime) with 6 years experience.

[@bryanepp5340]

Our narrative of automation and robotics is suffering from the top to the bottom. This is a true story: One of my customers is a substitute teacher at the local high school. There was a discussion one day in her freshman class about careers. She asked the students what they plan on doing after they graduate high school. The majority of students said, "We're not going to have to do anything, because robots will do everything for us." Seriously. True story. This is our up and coming labor force.

[@222aint]

For those concerned about human labor jobs. Let’s require all paper clips be made by hand. individually.

[@maryt2887]

Love your passion backed up with facts and other expert statements.

[@JonDisnard]

Trump has done an amazing job of persuading unions to go to his side. Unions were a Democrats base in party times. However, automation is a difficult flag to fly in modern times. It's like arguing for antiquated society, and the USA should be highly sophisticated, streamlined, and all that kind of thing. Container handling robotics or whatever machinery is the future.

[@jimsummers487]

Automation requires government subsidies…. Socialist

[@oddvardmyrnes9040]

Norway here. All in for ILA. Ports are living infrastructure. Need people to operate, thrive & develop. Daggart would do well in Norway.

[@willythemailboy2]

The guy is an extremist who has said he'd ban barcode scanners to force hand pricing in order to create more jobs in retail stores.

[@RichardKing-sx6xc]

​@@willythemailboy2 These people will wake up one day and realize they're stuck in the past.

[@dvaritek434]

Fantastic presentation.

[@GedMann]

Great information with passion.people should pay attention

[@michaelmeehan9083]

LA is the place that taught me how to drive in Boston...

[@RipperDocOz]

I'll also add, what are the effects of adding Costs to foreign shipping who pays in the end. The end consumer.

[@dixie3087]

? Who is going to pay for automation? The end consumer. Neither is cheap

[@4fuzzybear]

Sal. I’m praying that You get the opportunity to speak before the New Congress. I don’t like unions but we first have to show that Foreign companies and in the case of China, Governments, should have NO say in our country’s affairs.

[@stuartkcalvin]

Excellent Sal. Thanks for the insight.

[@duradim1]

Sal, the reason there are no shortages of longshoremen is because they have an overcapacity of workers. Union workers stay at home and get paid not to work. The American consumer pays for that. It can be spun anyway you want it, but at the end of the day Americans are paying more for goods shipped into the country. We also are paying more to ship product out of the country. Those same longshoremen make our products that we sale to the rest of the world more expensive for foreigners, costing us not just jobs but job creation as well. I think more is to be gained with automation than what is being lost.

[@whatthe8802]

Appreciate your coverage, have not seen this anywhere. Seriously, thought we would not hear anything until Jan 15 on what is going on. Thank you

[@UAV1632]

Great podcast. Makes sense.

[@loneranger515]

Excellent show!

[@BuddyBellTree]

I agree with automation. Our supply chain needs a lot of work. Americans can't manufacture competitively.

[@mithridateseupator3492]

You are right. They can’t manufacture competitively because of the massive subsidization that occurs in countries like China. No offence, but I find the argument that people like you make about competition ignores the fact that China operates on the basis of a highly subsidized economy. There is nothing competitive about it.

[@olpaint71]

@@mithridateseupator3492 Absolutely correct.

[@edwardcarberry1095]

Sal, other then to say you are very good at this/ these. As always there is more to something then meets the eye. Thanks

[@wearethenewsnow3644]

Great video