Home SHIPBUILDING LA harbour commission upholds APMT automation permit
LA harbour commission upholds APMT automation permit
DESPITE much pressure to deny Maersk terminal operator APM Terminals the right to lay in preparatory gear for fuller dockside automation, the Los Angeles harbour commission voted 3-2 to give the work the go-ahead
DESPITE much pressure to deny Maersk terminal operator APM Terminals the right to lay in preparatory gear for fuller dockside automation, the Los Angeles harbour commission voted 3-2 to give the work the go-ahead.
Specifically, the vote denied an appeal from the dockers union, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) to deny APM Terminals permission to test automated terminal equipment at Pier 400, reported American Shipper.
Jaime Lee, the president of the board of commissioners, said she believed the permit complied with the port's master plan and was properly issued by Gene Seroka, the port's executive director, who had the authority to issue the permit.
'I don't believe there is anything within the scope of the work considered by APM Terminals that would raise it to the level of a Level 2 coastal development permit,' Ms Lee said.
Commissioner Dianne Middleton disagreed saying the permit did not conform to the port's master plan and would have significant adverse environmental impacts. She said the permit information was 'vague and ambiguous' and that the company had not done an analysis of the impact on employment.
Said Los Angeles City Councilman Joe Buscaino: 'I will be asserting the City Council's jurisdiction over this item and will bring it before the full council for a vote.' This refers to the control the City of Los Angeles has over the port administration.
In response, the Pacific Maritime Association said, 'preventing port terminals from evolving to keep pace with the global economy threatens long-term damage to jobs, tax revenue, and economic vitality for all of California.'