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AMERICA’S PORTS FINALLY ADDRESS LONG OVERDUE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS

infrastructure

AMERICA’S PORTS FINALLY ADDRESS LONG OVERDUE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS

Ports throughout the U.S. have extremely critical infrastructure needs, and port officials in numerous states are readying projects for launch. America’s ports are in desperate need of modernization, expansion, upgrades and repairs if they are to remain viable. Because of the economic contributions that ports provide to the U.S. economy, officials can no longer ignore or defer these essential projects.

If, or when, Congress passes the infrastructure bill, billions in federal funding will be available, but even that amount of new revenue will likely not cover costs for the most critical needs. Most states have allocated large amounts of funding, and public-private partnerships are being considered for some port initiatives. 

Regardless of the funding sources, it is evident that port modernization, which is long overdue, is finally beginning rather aggressively in America.

TEXAS

Every Texas port must undergo critical upgrading and modernization. Approximately $3.6 billion will be required for the state to cover the most immediate needs at its ports. A 2022-2023 Texas Port Mission Plan outlines numerous high-value projects that are priorities.

The Port of Corpus Christi Authority is seeking $155.5 million for three liquid bulk dock projects at the Avery Point Terminal. The docks, with an average age of 56, are suffering from severe degradation of key components and cannot adequately accommodate large Suezmax vessels arriving at the same time.

The Port of Beaumont is planning a $61.6 million dock facility that will be capable of loading and unloading supersized vessels. The project will feature a pedestrian walkway, access roads and pipeline connectivity.

The Port of Galveston needs to spend $60.7 million to repair damaged and decaying infrastructure that is unusable. The scope of this project will include dredging, constructing two fill-retaining structures, improving storm sewers, installing flexible pavement and replacing a deteriorated bulkhead.

CALIFORNIA

The Port of Oakland’s updated five-year capital improvement plan (CIP) outlines projects estimated at $543.7 million. Approximately $92.2 million is allocated for airfield projects that the port maintains. Critical security upgrades are estimated at about $57.8 million and will include work on access control gates, baggage claim exits and installation of an integrated landside security camera system

Approximately $27.2 million is needed for marine terminal improvements and crane upgrades. This effort will include $10.2 million for wharf upgrades that are now required for ultra-large container vessels and $8.5 million for reconstruction of berths at the port. Other projects considered high priorities include a channel deepening project, substation replacements and the installation of electric truck charging stations.

Down south, the Port of Long Beach approved a Fiscal Year 2022 budget that includes $622.4 million for the Long Beach Harbor, with half of that amount dedicated to capital improvement projects. A project to construct a second fire station will support the port’s fireboat vessels and its landside fire assets. It carries a projected cost of $35.6 million. An additional $38.4 million will be spent on improvements to wharfs and another $870 million is earmarked for the expansion of a rail yard. 

In 2022, construction will begin on a track realignment project that carries a cost estimate of approximately $40 million.

PENNSYLVANIA

The Port Authority of Allegheny County introduced a 2022 operating and capital budget that details $53.4 million in projects. Anticipated initiatives include rail and bus facility improvements and the installation of electric charging infrastructure. Other port divisions will receive $1.7 million for systemwide upgrades of security and fire alarm systems. The Port Authority also approved its first range transportation plan, NEXTransit, that outlines 18 planned projects that cumulatively carry a $3.7 billion price tag.

The Port Authority of Pittsburgh plans to begin work in 2022 on a new two-level deck that will increase the available parking by 360 spaces. The authority has received an $11.5 million federal grant for the project. The construction project will be comprehensive as it will require moving the lot’s main entrance to the north, widening Route 19 to add turning lanes, and construction of retaining walls, drainage improvements and new paving work.

Scheduled to be completed in May 2022, a $42 million, 201,621-square-foot distribution center is a critical step in the development of the Port of Philadelphia’s Packer Avenue Marine Terminal, the region’s main container terminal. PhilaPort Executive Director and CEO Jeff Theobald boasts that the food-grade warehouse, which is one mile from the marine terminal, will help attract new shippers and ocean lines and “generate hundreds of good, family-sustaining jobs.”

These are just a few examples of upcoming contracting opportunities at ports throughout the country. Major ports in America are all in dire need of attention, and officials in every state where ports are located are well aware of the economic engines of ports. Funding will be found, and ports will be modernized in the very near future. Private sector firms interested in partnering to keep America’s ports operating at peak capacity should be getting positioned now to compete for these very large partnering opportunities.

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Mary Scott Nabers is president and CEO of Strategic Partnerships Inc., an Austin, Texas-based business development company specializing in government contracting and procurement consulting throughout the country. Inside the Infrastructure Revolution: A Roadmap for Building America, is her recently released handbook for contractors, investors and the public-at-large seeking to explore how public-private partnerships or joint ventures can help finance their infrastructure projects.

Manufacturers handle

FULLY ADAPTABLE: MANUFACTURING IN THE AGE OF COVID-19

We’ve just about hit the official one-year mark since the onset of the pandemic and the surge of disruption that came along with it. Essentially every sector in the logistics arena was confronted with two primary options when COVID-19 reared its ugly head: adapt or close shop. 

To avoid reiterating the same story all over again (for what probably feels like the thousandth time), we sought to understand where manufacturers stand in the environment notoriously dubbed as the “COVID age.” Painting this picture requires an expert pair of eyes that fully understand the intricacies along with obvious uniformities. We hand-selected BDP’s Global Vice President of Sales Supply Chain Solutions, Randal Holtzapple, to walk us through where manufacturers are now and how they can successfully continue operating amid an environment where seismic pressures and shifts are becoming the standard.

Holtzapple highlights significant shifts and their impact across the supply chain.

“What started with factory shutdowns in China in the first quarter of 2020 has resulted in ocean carriers bypassing major shipping ports,” he says. “Blank sailings have led to equipment imbalances and a lack of ocean shipping equipment at key ports in China and throughout Asia. Manufacturers are focused on getting their ocean containers booked and the container movement out of Asia. This is the first shift we’re seeing within the industry.”

He goes on to explain that the same increase in demand that haunted the ocean transportation sector at the onset of COVID-19 continues to be a major issue for handling capacity. This paired with the seemingly endless equipment shortage has forced some customers to seek alternative partnerships for a solution. 

For BDP, Holtzapple affirmed the company is seeing a pattern where customers with long-standing relationships with ocean carriers are now relying on their business, other 3PLs and freight forwarders to overcome challenges with bookings. 

“The second main shift evident is the request for expedited clearance and movement of cargo upon arrival at U.S. ports, as most containers and air freight shipments are arriving later than planned,” Holtzapple explains. “Many companies’ inventories have been depleted. For now, getting products for materials out of Asia is their lifeline.”

Keeping customer needs as a priority goes beyond measures taken when chaos ruled the logistics world in 2020. What the industry is seeing now is a new approach to operations with international partners, new resources, and new compliance checks and balances.

“The third shift that we’re seeing is the need to have logistics and trade solution partners versus providers that are offering the lowest cost for transportation movement,” he explained. “In the COVID environment, it’s not just about moving product from one port or airport to another, it’s about how these partners can move the product safely from new sourcing locations, compliantly. The most significant element of this shift is the focus is no longer on the lowest-cost provider. Now, it’s focused on the company that can bring the mentioned capabilities and partner with the manufacturer.” 

Thankfully, we live in an age where technology seems to always come sweeping in to save the day, albeit expensively and complexly. The key to optimizing the blend of technology and solutions is found in understanding what the customer needs are and thinking outside of the box. BDP’s experts are no strangers to this. Providing an open line of communication while supplying an array of tools and partner connections creates a resilient network the customer can depend on. If you’re not already doing this, your competitor most likely is. Holtzapple explains that having a trusted logistics partner is key for maintaining a competitive advantage while retaining customer loyalty.

“BDP offers customers several technology platforms for support, especially in the COVID world,” he says. “BDP Smart is our web-based visibility tool where customers can gain instant access to sensitive documents, track their shipments, and inventory, and rely on up-to-date information on their global booking requests and vessel schedules. An application within BDP Smart is Smart Vū, and it serves as an all-inclusive technology solution for vendor management and supplier logistics. The third solution introduced in 2020 is our self-service platform, BDP GO. This technology simplifies, streamlines and allows for digital booking of shipments.” 

The common denominator with BDP’s solutions portfolio is customer support via reliable, accurate innovation. This strategy will continue to separate the weak and the resilient throughout 2021. Beyond the platform solutions and options for data integration, refining high-level business strategies are a must. 

“The challenges caused by COVID have been a catalyst for companies to rethink and energize their global supply chains,” he said. “To remain competitive in today’s marketplace, manufacturers are taking a broader approach to the selection of logistics and transportation providers.”

Holtzapple highlights four major strategies companies are currently implementing to maintain a competitive position within the industry while retaining customers long-term. These measures are proving to be effective, despite the myriad of disruptions felt in the last year alone.

“The first strategy is the diversification of suppliers,” he says. “Companies are looking for providers that can bring solutions and innovation to their global supply chain. While costs will always remain important, companies today are looking for partners that can provide technology and innovative solutions to enhance and bring efficiencies to their supply chain.”

He explains the second strategy is simply found in the revisiting of global sourcing strategies. Regional sourcing has become the new trend, providing nimble options while recreating a dependency on sources beyond China and South Asia. 

“Companies have been crippled due to the challenges of COVID in China and Southeast Asia,” Holtzapple says. “Now more than ever, companies are looking for regional sourcing or near sourcing solutions. When a company can’t get materials out of parts of the world, the impact is significant to their overall bottom line.”

The need for supply chain visibility is the third strategy, he says. “The one thing this pandemic brought forward is the need to continue looking at solutions with technology and transparency. The goal is to break through the barriers and silos that exist and bring visibility across all business functions within an organization. Once you do that, you allow for better planning, collaboration, and optimization.”

Holtzapple cites contingency planning and sustainable business practices for the fourth and final strategy on his list. Manufacturers can no longer afford to not know where vulnerabilities are present. Instead, the need for proactivity is amplified to ensure risk mitigation efforts prove effective. This applies to workforce management just as much as it does to operations. 

BDP’s Global Vice President of Sales Supply Chain Solutions also brings to attention the seemingly foreign concept of flex workers in manufacturing. Many companies are faced with this discussion for the first time. This and other parts of the logistics equation require forward-thinking contingency planning measures to ensure the best outcomes.

“It’s safe to say that nobody’s been immune to the challenges and the impact of COVID on the global supply chain,” Holtzapple says. “Whether companies are looking to better align with strategic partners, reduce dependency on risky sourcing areas and/or re-evaluate their just-in-time inventory strategies, building a more resilient supply chain is the key lesson learned. 

“The other important thing to remember is embracing and a continued commitment in technology investment. Technology can bring transparency and foster collaboration across different business units resulting in more efficient and timely decision-making. This is key.”

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As global vice president of Sales Supply Chain Solutions at BDP International, Randy Holtzapple is responsible for creating diversification and a go-to-market strategy and overseeing a team of sales directors who are focused on selling complex supply chain solutions to large multinational companies, including some of the largest retail, consumer products, chemical and industrial manufacturing businesses in the world. Prior to joining BDP, he held a variety of managerial and sales leadership roles at other large logistics firms. He believes strongly in giving back to local communities and serves on the Board of Directors for Junior Achievement of Central Indiana. He can be reached at randal.holtzapple@bdpint.com