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Y2K stockpiling boosts LA port traffic Click on our sponsors!

Updated 4:17 PM ET October 15, 1999

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 15 (UPI) Cargo containers continued to flow through the Port of Los Angeles at a record pace, in part because of importers beefing up their inventories ahead of potential Y2K problems, port officials said Friday.

"Imports are arriving in particularly high volumes, reflecting the port's busiest-ever holiday shipping season and inventory buildup by some companies as a defensive strategy in case of Y2K-related problems," Al Fierstine, director of business development for the port, said in a news release.

The port handled 336,936 20-foot cargo containers, known as 20-foot- equivalent units (TEUs), in September. It was the fifth consecutive month above 300,000 containers.

The September figure was up 16.2 percent, or 46,957 TEUs, over September 1998.

"The consistent improved performance by exports this year compared to 1998 also indicates that the economic recovery in most of Asia is proceeding well," Fierstine said.

The marine industry relies on computers for nearly all phases of operation, including the handling of ships, communications, navigation and the handling of cargo at ports.

The U.S. Coast Guard requires vessels leaving and arriving in U.S. ports to undergo Y2K testing of vital systems, and to have crewmembers standing by during the transfers of oil and chemicals.

"Any system with embedded microchips could produce erroneous data," The coast guard said in a recent Y2K release. "This could lead to marine casualties; traffic control problems; and loading and unloading problems."

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-- Homer Beanfang (Bats@inbellfry.com), October 18, 1999

Answers

Homer: I saw this posted sometime last week.

-- Preparting (preparing@home.com), October 18, 1999.