The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach — through which half the US imports from Asia flow —extended their evening and weekend truck gate hours to accommodate the overload of cargo swamping the ports.

It’s been reported that a record 65 vessels are awaiting berth with 27 being worked on. With this high-volume level, port landlords are working with the US Department of Transportation and business stakeholders on strategic ways to ease port congestion which ultimately affects the US economic recovery.

Mario Cordero, Executive Director of the Port of Long Beach, announced that Long Beach will take the first step towards a 24/7 supply chain by maximizing nighttime hours. “Accelerate Cargo LA”, the Port of Log Angeles’ program, will operate on a pilot basis to ensure that gate availability meets cargo demands and provides greater transparency to improve efficiency.

“We are pleased to see the California ports take immediate action and we are doing our part in spreading the news of the extended hours to our customers,” said Joe Monaghan, CEO of Worldwide logistics Group. “Truckers will now have the ability to take advantage of non-peak hours to move cargo more efficiently. This is very positive.”

Additionally, the ports are working with the White House Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force to find other ways to open up bottlenecks and speed up cargo transport.

The Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach are the two largest ports in the nation, and combined are the ninth-largest port in the world.