Eric Watkins is US West Coast Correspondent for Lloyd’s List, primarily responsible for covering the region’s trans-Pacific container trade. Based in San Pedro, California, Eric covers additional developments as they occur up and down the Pacific Coast, reaching into Mexico and Canada.

Ships, shipping and the sea have been a major part of Eric’s life. Born in the United Kingdom, Eric’s family emigrated to the US aboard the RMS Queen Elizabeth. Even now he retains the passenger list and photographs from that voyage, a reminder of a most exciting time on a stormy Atlantic crossing. 

Raised in Southern California, Eric has detailed local knowledge of the region’s transport system, including maritime, railroad and trucking. He has visited all of the major ports up and down the coast, even travelling the ferry systems of Seattle, San Francisco, and the Gulf of California.

Prior to joining Lloyd’s List, Eric had credits with other leading international publications including The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Economist. He is also a photographer and a specialist writer oil and gas, having worked with the Oil & Gas Journal over a ten-year period.

A seasoned foreign correspondent, Eric has reported from many sites around the globe, including the Arabian Peninsula, Central Asia, Africa and Europe. Now living on a bluff overlooking San Pedro Bay, Eric is well positioned to report on the global traffic that plies the seas to America’s Pacific gateways.