Industry-Leading Research
PMA commissions research by leading experts to shed light on critical issues affecting the maritime industry on the West Coast.
Study Area
Economic Impact
West Coast ports are economic engines, supporting 9% of U.S. GDP. PMA research explores how maritime trade stimulates local, regional and national economic activity.
Research Report || May 2022
The Economic Impact of the West Coast Ports
Ports in California, Oregon and Washington are a critical gateway for U.S. international trade, linking the nation’s consumer, industrial, and agricultural sectors to global markets. This report illustrates how trade supports jobs and economic activity regionally and nationally, reinforcing the stability and growth of the U.S. economy.
Research Report || October 2021
Supply Chain Congestion Issues at the San Pedro Bay Ports
This report finds that backlogs at Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach during the pandemic were the result of a wide range of logistical constraints, including on-dock capacity constraints and increased container dwell times. Expanding terminal capacity, including through automation, is one critical part of the solution to this challenge.
Study Area
Port Competitiveness
West Coast ports have been losing market share for more than 20 years. Our research evaluates the impact of this decline on jobs, tax revenues, and overall GDP in California.
Research Study || September 2024
The Dire Economic Consequences of Continued Market Share Declines at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach
What if continued market share losses reduced the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to merely a regional port complex? This report finds the impact on jobs, business revenue and tax proceeds on the West Coast would be catastrophic.
Research Report || January 2023
Ports in Peril: The Alarming Economic Cost of Declining Market Share at the San Pedro Bay Port Complex
This report finds that the 20-year decline in West Coast ports’ market share of containerized cargo is accelerating, posing long-term economic risks, especially for Southern California. The health of regional and state economies will depend on West Coast ports positioning themselves to compete effectively for discretionary cargo from Asia.
Research Study || May 2022
Assessment of the Impacts of Congestion at San Pedro Bay Ports on Market Share and Future Utilization of Atlantic and Gulf Coast U.S. Ports
This report documents how a surge in congestion at the San Pedro Bay ports, coupled with growing capacity at East and Gulf Coast ports, may lead importers to permanently shift supply chains away from the West Coast unless there are significant improvements in capacity and efficiency.
Research Study || September 2020
Competitiveness of Routes for Asia-Origin Intermodal Import Containers through Alternative US Gateway Ports
This second report by Mercator shed light on competition to West Coast ports posed by other domestic port ranges, finding that U.S. East Coast ports held route cost advantages of up to $1,000 per container over two main West Coast gateways. Public policy that fails to address these disadvantages could further compound the losses.
Research Study || September 2020
Competitiveness of Transpacific Routes through North American West Coast Gateway Ports
This report by the Mercator firm found that the Canadian ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert were steadily eroding U.S. West Coast market share for intermodal cargo, due in part to route cost advantages as high as $600 per container. The Chicago and Memphis markets were found to be the most susceptible, due to their direct rail connection to the British Columbia ports.
Research Study || April 2019
Sustaining the San Pedro Bay Community – Ports of Los Angeles & Long Beach
This important study explored in detail the alarming decline in Southern California ports’ market share for discretionary cargo, triggering an impact that would “ripple through multiple segments of the economy.” Environmental sustainability costs were found to be a significant driver of higher container handling charges relative to other U.S. port ranges.
Study Area
ILWU Wages and Benefits
Third-party research finds the wages and benefits provided to ILWU members are among the most generous available to any union workers in America.
Research Report || July 2022
2022 Survey of Collectively Bargained Health Benefit Plans in the USA
Research Report || July 2022
Compensation of Longshoremen, Marine Clerks, and Foremen Employed at Marine Terminal
This research report finds that ILWU members at West Coast ports are the nation’s highest-paid blue-collar workers, enjoying some of the most generous benefits provided to any workers in America today. Average ILWU earnings exceed those of airline pilots, engineers, architects, and many other fields.
Study Area
Terminal Modernization & Automation
The right to introduce technology and automation at West Coast ports is central to the collective bargaining agreement between PMA and the ILWU. Modern port terminals protect the supply chain, help ports stay competitive, and reduce harmful emissions and pollution.
Research Report || May 2022
Terminal Automation in Southern California: Implications for Growth, Jobs, and the Future Competitiveness of West Coast Ports
This report, based on previously unpublished data, shows that terminal automation at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach helped relieve severe supply chain congestion during the pandemic by accelerating cargo handling and expanding terminal capacity. At the same time, automated terminals generated longshore work significantly faster than conventional terminals.