During the annual “State of the Port” address at the Long Beach Convention Center in January, Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero said cargo volumes broke records in 2018 despite China trade tariffs, as shippers raced to get goods in ahead of fee increases.

The Southern California port, which sees nearly 70 percent of containerized imports and 40 percent of containerized exports from China, topped 8 million TEUs for the first time in its 108-year history, marking its second record-breaking year in a row, according to Cordero, who noted container cargo totals were up 7 percent from the year before.

Among the projects he highlighted was a $1 billion port investment in a strategic on-dock rail program, which is part of a broader modernization program aimed at reducing port-related impacts to the environment. The on-dock rail site is expected to eliminate as many as 750 truck trips per one-mile train and also move Asia imports significantly faster than cargo routed through Gulf and East Coast ports.

In other good green news, the port continues to outperform 2023 clean air goals, even with cargo volumes at record levels, according to Cordero, whose port is testing zero-emissions machines and vehicles this year in conjunction with its ambitious Clean Air Action Plan.

Up the coast in San Pedro during the same month, Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka also called 2018 “another year for the record books” in his State of the Port report.

Seroka’s port moved 9.5 million TEUs, a 1.2 percent increase from 2017, and he pointed to the “strong collaboration” between longshore labor, terminal operators, harbor truckers and rail providers as being behind that success.

Among the major building projects completed were the $127 million on-dock rail yard at the Yusen Terminal and $15.6 million in Harbor Boulevard/Park Plaza improvements. With $80 million in grant funding, the port is actively involved in 15 zero and near-zero emission projects, including an electric-hydrogen fuel cell truck program with Toyota.

Investment in new digital technology will help terminals, truckers and longshore labor brace for more containers that are to arrive from bigger container ships, Seroka said.

American Airlines Cargo to Utilize New Service Between DFW and Dublin

Starting this summer, American Airlines will offer a new nonstop flight from Dublin to Dallas Fort Worth, directly connecting the two for the first time in the history of the world’s largest carrier.

The seasonal flight, which will operate from June 7 through Sept. 28 of this year, will be flown on cargo-friendly, fuel-efficient Boeing 787-9 aircraft. That should make it a welcome addition for the cargo community wishing to serve Texas, the second largest importing state in America, where the manufacturing sector is projected to continue growing in the coming years.

Customers with a diverse range of commodities are already expressing interest in the flight, according to American Airlines, which adds potential commodities include computer parts, medical devices, machinery, oil industry equipment, aviation parts and pharmaceuticals.

“This first, direct, scheduled service from Ireland to Texas will open up a number of new markets for both Irish and multinational exporters with freight destined for Dallas and beyond,” says Andy Cornwell, regional manager of AA Cargo-Northern Europe. American also offers flights from Dublin to Charlotte, Chicago O’Hare and Philadelphia, as well as seasonal service from Shannon to Philly.

Port of Seattle Aims to Heat Sea-Tac Airport Entirely with RNG

The Port of Seattle is pushing to make Seattle-Tacoma International Airport the nation’s first airport heated entirely by renewable natural gas. The port recently announced a Request for Proposals for RNG service to supply Sea-Tac’s boilers and bus fueling system, which is responsible for more than 80 percent of the port-owned emissions.

All of the current fossil natural gas would be replaced by RNG, which is also known as biomethane and is produced by the decomposition of organic matter, typically produced by landfills, wastewater treatment plants and food and animal waste digesters.

“The port can play a major role in creating a renewable natural gas market because we offer a stable, long-term use of gas,” says Arlyn Purcell, the port’s director of Aviation Environment and Sustainability. “If we can attract a project developer to supply the airport, this will spur more opportunities to feed the current gas pipeline with RNG rather than have landfills or digesters flare the gas on-site or allowing their methane emissions to escape into the air.”

The port previously adopted aggressive greenhouse gas reduction goals under its Century Agenda, with the aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its own operations by 50 percent from 2005 levels by 2030, and to be carbon neutral or carbon negative by 2050. Ranked as the ninth busiest U.S. airport, Sea-Tac International served 46.9 million passengers and more than 425,800 metric tons of air cargo in 2017, producing a regional economic impact pegged at more than $22.5 billion.

Happy (Belated) Birthday, Team Worldwide

Winnsboro, Texas-based Team Worldwide, which bills itself as “a global yet locally-minded freight forwarder and 3PL company,” in January proudly celebrated is its 40th anniversary in the biz.

Father and son Joe and Bobby Brunson established Team Worldwide in 1979 as a small, regional freight forwarder in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The company’s mission was “to develop a long-term relationship with each customer by providing a logistics network that offers a variety of innovative and reliable services now and for the future.” Under the third generation of family leadership, Team Worldwide remains committed to the same principles.

Of course, from humble beginnings Team Worldwide built itself up to the point where its corporate headquarters in Winnsboro boasts of more than 100,000 square feet of office and warehouse space, on grounds that accommodate a state-of-the-art data and technology center that supports 40-plus locally owned branches in North America and a global customer base.

“We appreciate this opportunity to say ‘Thank You’ as we celebrate 40 years of service,” says Team Worldwide. “We proudly remain large enough to serve you but small enough to know you!”