Today, Director of the National Economic Council Brian Deese and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg met with key stakeholders in the country’s goods movement supply chain to launch a new initiative that will help to speed up the movement of goods, reducing delays and costs for American consumers.
NEC and DOT leaders discussed with port directors and business leaders the value of the new initiative. Freight Logistics Optimization Works (FLOW), an information sharing initiative to pilot key freight information exchange between parts of the supply chain. This commitment to moving the transportation logistics system to 21st century digitization follows the commitment to move toward 24/7 operations many made last fall.
Participants discussed the progress made to date in working collaboratively across private sector stakeholders and with federal and state governments to address supply chain bottlenecks at ports including the decline in long-term dwelling containers (by 60% at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach since November), a reduction in empty containers (by more than 30% at the Port of Los Angeles since the beginning of the year), and the creation of pop-up sites for containers around the Port of Savannah. In particular, participants discussed the success of pop-up sites at restoring fluidity over the past year and how they will be needed in the future.
They underscored the value of greater data transparency across the supply chain and how this would benefit not only their respective companies but also the system more broadly, cutting waste and reducing costs for consumers. Participants acknowledged the current system is underperforming and needs greater investment and more collaboration in creating ship to shelf visibility into the primarily private-sector owned supply chain. A more reliable, predictable, and accurate information exchange about goods movement is the hallmark of a globally competitive 21st century goods movement chain and is especially important for small- and medium-sized businesses who lack visibility into the current system. Participants highlighted that this type of digital infrastructure was more important than ever in the face of supply chain disruptions caused by global events like the pandemic and Russia’s unprovoked aggression in Ukraine.
Here’s what industry leaders across the supply chain are saying about this critical initiative: https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/industry-leaders-endorse-biden-harris-administration-initiative-improve-supply-0
Participants included:
- Port of Long Beach
- Port of Los Angeles
- Georgia Ports Authority*
- Gemini Shippers Association
- DCLI
- FlexiVan
- Prologis
- CMA CGM
- MSC*
- C.H.Robinson*
- Target*
- True Value
- Land ‘O Lakes
- FedEx
- UPS
*denotes virtual participant
