Port, stakeholders expedite shipments of medical equipment

Much-needed gloves, gowns, face masks rushed to health-care suppliers

The Port of Long Beach is working with medical supply companies, ocean carriers, marine terminal operators, dockworkers and truckers to expedite the importation of crucial health equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The shipments, including medical gowns, gloves and other infection-control apparel and personal protective equipment manufactured in Asia, are being shepherded through several marine terminals at Long Beach. Terminal operators are staging the priority containers for special pick-up to rush them to distribution centers in California and beyond.

“It’s encouraging that in these challenging times, when Port staff members reached out to our stakeholders about expediting medical supply shipments, they found a great deal of willingness to quickly band together and ensure rapid and early delivery,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero.

“This demonstrates how crucial our Port and its stakeholders are to the city, state and nation as we weather this crisis together,” said Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners President Bonnie Lowenthal. “Port companies and dockworkers are already working every day to help fuel the economy, and now they have gone above and beyond to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.”

The Port of Long Beach’s Business Development team has been working directly with Cardinal Health, a global, integrated healthcare services and products company headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, to bring these products through the port.

Patrick Halloran, Director of Global Trade Logistics for Cardinal Health, credited the Port, shipping lines, terminal operators, dockworkers and truckers with pitching in to reduce the time of delivery of the much-needed medical supplies. “It’s great to see this come together as we all move quickly to prioritize getting products where they are needed in this uncertain time,” Halloran said.