While it may take time for all the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic to fully come to light, the Port of New York and New Jersey has benefited from several early lessons learned.
First, having a fully engaged port community based on well-established business relationships is paramount. When the pandemic began, the Council on Port Performance (CPP) was immediately mobilized. Established in 2014, the CPP consists of major port stakeholders including the New York Shipping Association, terminal operators, labor, shipping lines, trucking companies, railroads, shippers, warehousing, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and others working jointly to address common issues.
In early 2020, the CPP established a personal protective equipment (PPE) sub-committee tasked with procuring a sustainable supply of essential PPE so waterfront workers could continue to work safely and keep essential goods moving to market. Throughout the pandemic, the port never lost a day of operations due to COVID-19.
The CPP was also a vital communication portal to identify and address supply chain issues early. While there are no simple solutions to the disruptions being experienced throughout the supply chain, open communication and collaboration have led to creative solutions that benefited the entire port community and enabled the gateway to flex its capacity to manage the volume growth.
Open and transparent communication with the port’s end users — the shippers — was also vital. The authority proactively engaged with shippers to provide timely updates on the status of port operations. Sharing information, whether good or bad, has helped shippers navigate the uncertainty of the pandemic.
With the current cargo surge expected to continue through 2022, the Port of New York and New Jersey’s success will continue to depend on the thousands of individuals that load, unload, inspect, store, and safely transport the products consumers rely on. Open communication, cooperation, and collaboration from all supply chain partners will help keep the gateway fluid and dependable.