Correspondence: Pandemic shuffles deck, but marine exchange keeps San Pedro safe

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, all of the terminals in San Pedro, Calif., remain open, but ship traffic has decreased and the amount of cargo transiting both ports — Los Angeles and Long Beach — declined significantly through the first four months of the year. The anchorages in the San Pedro roadstead were full of cruise ships going nowhere, loaded car carriers with no place to offload, and tankers with full loads but no buyers.

- Edward Lundquist

That has required an even higher degree of vigilance on the part of the Marine Exchange of Southern California, which collects and shares information and manages vessel traffic services (VTS) for all stakeholders in both ports. In addition, the entire San Pedro Bay Port Complex is on heightened alert, and the U.S. Coast Guard is assessing all inbound vessels.

The busy complex is home to two neighboring yet competing seaports. Each has its own terminals, pilots, security and tugboats. But one thing they both rely upon is the marine exchange. Its services ensure safe navigation and the movement of commerce, reducing risk to vessel owners, vessel operators and supply chains.

The VTS sensor network of radars, cameras and the automatic identification system (AIS) allows the exchange to monitor all vessel movements to ensure safe navigation in and out of the ports. Wave buoys are installed outside the ports to provide wave height and direction, with real-time data allowing sophisticated computer models to generate wave forecasts.

Of the 12 VTS systems in major port areas around the United States, all are government-run with the exception of the Southern California operation, which is a unique public-private partnership. The nonprofit exchange is supported by user fees that cover the salaries of 20 employees. Six Coast Guard members — their salaries are the only taxpayer expense — have law enforcement authority.