US National Freight Data Portal One Step Closer to Reality

In its recently released Supply Chain Assessment of the Transportation Industrial Base: Freight and Logistics, the U.S. Department of

Archives, Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily, U.S. Ports

US National Freight Data Portal One Step Closer to Reality

April 4th, 2022 Port Technology International Team Leave a comment

Efforts to develop international standards for the sharing and use of digital information throughout the supply chain took a significant step forward at a joint meeting of the Supply Chain Optimization and Resilience (SCORe) Coalition and global standards organization ASTM International in Long Beach, California.

A group of public and private sector stakeholders – including John D. Porcari, Port Envoy to the Biden-Harris Administration Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force, Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) Commissioner Carl Bentzel, the U.S. Department of Commerce, MARAD, senior leadership of the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, and representatives of the supply chain – agreed that there was a strong market and governmental need for enhanced standards exchange and use of digital information in the supply chain.

Such standards would serve as building blocks for a National Freight Data Portal that would enable global supply chain data exchange, relieving port and supply chain congestion and improving trade competitiveness.

In its recently released Supply Chain Assessment of the Transportation Industrial Base: Freight and Logistics, the U.S. Department of Transportation recommended creation of such a portal, noting the importance of greater standardization and interoperability of data for improving end-to-end visibility and increasing effective throughput capacity of the supply chain.

“I’m very pleased with industry’s willingness to partner, share data, and develop new information that will help the goods movement chain operate more efficiently,” said Porcari.

“I encourage the private sector to continue moving toward consensus around data sharing needs. Industry can concurrently advance data standards work while working closely with the Department of Transportation and FMC.”

International standards developed at ASTM can underpin a National Freight Data Portal, while also having relevance and applicability for global supply chains.

Based on the results of the event, a meeting will be called to officially organize the committee and recommend to the ASTM Board the establishment of a new Technical Committee to develop these standards.

Len Morrissey, Director of Global Business Development and Strategy for ASTM International commented: “We are very excited to be part of this important effort to help address this global challenge.

“Bringing together all of the diverse stakeholders that comprise the global supply chain to address the issues that we discussed is a complex undertaking but one that plays to ASTM’s strengths as a neutral consensus builder.”

This is the latest in a global supply chain shift to enhanced data sharing through standardization. In November 2021 the Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA) published interface standards and messaging application programming interface (API) specifications for all 50 event timestamps defined in its port call data definitions.

In October 2021 Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) fully adopted BIC Facility Codes (BFC) for all depots globally.

Archives, Global Trade Daily, News

BEST CARGO YEAR EVER AT SOUTH JERSEY PORTS

January 26th, 2022 South Jersey Port Corporation Leave a comment

The South Jersey Port Corporation closed out 2021 with an all-time record-breaking cargo volume of 4,636,097 tons, a 54% increase over 2020, breaking the previous record by 6%.

“That’s the best in the history of the South Jersey Ports and we’re expecting 2022 to be a very strong year that may top 2021,” reported Andy Saporito, Executive Director and CEO of South Jersey Port Corporation at the monthly meeting of the Board of Directors. “This milestone is a testament to the skilled workers and partners who keep goods moving through the supply chain while our team seeks solutions to improve efficiency, attract business and build for the future. The ongoing collaboration with SJPC’s labor force and industry partners lifted the port to this extraordinary record during the challenging time of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Saporito.

The dramatic increases in tonnage came from nearly all the SJPC’s prime cargo sectors: steel, plywood, recycled metals, cocoa beans, cement, and gypsum. The lone laggard, sand exports, is expected to increase as the national infrastructure plan is implemented. Rebounding steel imports led the way with 2,399,076 tons, a 141% increase over 2020. The majority of this increase occurred at the Paulsboro Marine Terminal which moved 1,760,018 tons of steel slabs. Plywood import tonnage increased by 98% totaling 220,812 tons demonstrating the Camden terminals as a premiere plywood portal on the East Coast. Cocoa beans totaled 76,108 tons, a 36% increase verses 2020 totals. Exports of recycled metals increased by 10% and cement increased by 8%.

The number of ship days was 960 days compared to 549 ship days in 2020, a 75% increase. “Ship days is the number of days a ship is loading or unloading at its terminal” explained Kevin Duffy, Assistant Executive Director / Chief Operating Officer. “We’ve worked hard to ensure we continue to operate safely and efficiently to move the increased cargo and have space to meet our customers’ needs”.

Brendan Dugan, Assistant Executive Director / Director of Business Development, expects the cargo activity at South Jersey Ports to remain strong for the foreseeable future due to the national infrastructure plan and New Jersey’s leadership role in the $109 billion offshore wind industry. EEW Group, which is building a $300 million manufacturing plant at the Paulsboro Marine Terminal to provide the massive steel monopiles for the offshore wind farms along the entire eastern seaboard, will ultimately require 150,000 tons of imported steel annually to meet their customers’ demand. To build on this momentum, SJPC is conducting a study of the Port of Salem, which is a smaller port just down river from Paulsboro that could become an important supply port for the local offshore wind support services industry.

“The challenge is to build the infrastructure to grow the port while operating more efficiently to meet current demands,” said Dugan. South Jersey Ports received a $6 million grant to upgrade the rail infrastructure at one of their Camden terminals and a $9 million grant for wharf infrastructure improvements at the Salem Terminal. “We identified an old building that we might refurbish to put another 40,000 square feet of storage space online and meet long-term customer demands.”

“We continue to focus on upgrading technology and automation to optimize the fluid movement of cargo through our terminals and to ensure our customers’ storage and inventory needs are met”, added COO Kevin Duffy.

The South Jersey Port Corporation was created in 1968 to operate marine shipping terminals in the South Jersey Port District, consisting of seven counties: Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Salem, Cumberland, Mercer, and Cape May. The South Jersey Ports is a national leader in bulk and breakbulk cargo, shipping and receiving to and from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe. Their four international seaport facilities in South Jersey handle more than four million tons of bulk, breakbulk and containerized cargoes annually.

Archives, Departments, Dispatches, Global Trade Daily, News

YES, VIRGINIA, THERE IS A DESANTIS CLAUSE

December 15th, 2021 GT Staff Leave a comment

Where some see a stocking full of coal, others see opportunity. Take Florida Governor Ron DeSantis—please! That might be the sentiments of officials at congested seaports outside of the Sunshine State. For instance, there are the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, California, where, at press time, Christmas presents remain stranded in around 100 vessels waiting for docks. While the intervention of President Joe Biden has led to plans for 24/7 loading and unloading of containers at impacted terminals in Southern California and elsewhere, challenges remained (again, at time of publication) to implement the strategy. Some have even suggested that open-all-day-and-night operations fail to address the real problems, like the lack of truck drivers and already packed-to-the-brim warehouses.

And so, against that chaotic backdrop, DeSantis announced on Oct. 19 that Florida seaports have open capacity, can meet holiday demand and—hey, all you shippers muttering “Bah humbug”—come on down.

“Year after year we continue to invest in our seaports, in infrastructure and in workforce education to make sure our supply chain is resilient,” said Da Gov, who was flanked by officials from Port Everglades, Port Tampa Bay, Port Panama City and host Port of Jacksonville (JAXPORT). “I’m especially proud of Florida’s seaports. They are crown jewels in our state.”

Yes, and those jewels have been shined with $1 billion in state investments since 2019, according to his office. Controversial because of his ties to former President Donald Trump and the supposed “steal,” DeSantis may have distanced himself even more from certain other attendees of U.S. governor conventions by suggesting shippers and out-of-state businesses should choose Florida.

“While other U.S. ports are just now announcing around-the-clock operations, in Florida many of our ports are used to serving Florida farmers, families and businesses with 24-hour operations,” he said. “As the rest of the nation faces rampant inflation and businesses stare down unprecedented supply chain problems, our message is this: Florida is here, we have capacity, we have incentive packages to help businesses who want to move here and we are going to make sure Americans get their Christmas Gifts this season.”

Archives, Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily, Ocean Ports

AMAZINGLY, PORT SUCCESS STORIES CAME IN SEPTEMBER DESPITE THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY

January 13th, 2021 Matt Coker Leave a comment

We have pursued an amazing amount of infrastructure in a short period of time. In 2021, we will have the deepest harbor on the East Coast.

Large retail stores are reopening, merchants are stocking up for the winter holidays and the increased use of e-commerce appears to be an enduring trend picked up by consumers during the recent stay-at-home orders.

It’s a tossup which is more impressive: that several U.S. ports experienced strong (and in some cases record-breaking) growth during the third quarter of 2020, or that these gains came in the middle of a global pandemic and economic uncertainty.

Consider the examples that follow.

GEORGIA PORTS AUTHORITY

In August, the Port of Savannah moved more containers over its docks, more cargo through its rail yards and more trade in and out of its inland terminals than at any other point in its 75-year history.

Let’s let that sink in, shall we?

Indeed, August 2020 saw the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) move 441,600 twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs), an increase of 1 percent or 3,850 TEUs compared to August 2019, in which the previous record was set.

The GPA also set a record this past August for intermodal cargo, handling 49,402 containers (approximately 89,000 TEUs) by rail. And more containers moved through the GPA’s Appalachian Regional Port in August than ever before at 3,420 lifts, an increase of 1,679 or 96 percent.

“The numbers cement Savannah’s position as one of the key hub ports in global trade,” says GPA Board Chairman Will McKnight. “The combination of big ship efficiency, our landside infrastructure and the soon-to-be-completed harbor deepening make Georgia the logical choice for American farms and factories competing in the global marketplace. The Port of Savannah stands ready to support the nation’s exporters as our economy regains momentum.”

Yes, Savannah stands ready—although not on its heels. Consider this: After setting those all-time records in August, the port in September welcomed the CMA CGM Brazil, the largest ship to ever call the U.S. East Coast with a capacity of 15,072 TEUs.

“As the largest ship ever to call the East Coast moves 5,600 TEUs on and off the largest single container terminal in North America, it is clear that our efforts to expand capacity and reach are taking hold,” said GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch said shortly after the CMA CGM Brazil docked.

“Frankly, we weren’t expecting to experience record volumes during this pandemic, but thanks to our employees, the ILA and all of our partners who pulled together and our customers who believe in us, this announcement is possible today.”

While it had the microphone, the GPA seized the opportunity to make another pro-growth announcement: The Savannah Harbor Expansion Project, which will deepen the river to 47 feet at low tide, is now 75 percent complete.

“The sight of this colossal ship makes perfectly clear the benefits America will gain from the Savannah Harbor deepening,” said Col. Daniel H. Hibner, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District. “The Savannah Harbor Expansion Project, now nearly complete, will boost the economy at a critical time and will have broad impacts for Georgia, South Carolina and throughout the Southeast.”

SOUTH CAROLINA PORTS AUTHORITY

Sure, you can read on about the recent success of the South Carolina Ports Authority (SC Ports). Or, you can take the GPA information above and replace “August” with “September” and “Savannah” with “Charleston.”

First, SC Ports’ September volumes reflected the strongest year-over-year activity since the pandemic hit, showing a continued recovery and strength in containers, vehicles and inland port moves.

The Wando Welch and North Charleston container ports handled 195,101 TEUs, a record September for SC Ports and a slight increase year-over-year. The Port of Charleston’s Columbus Street Terminal handled 21,702 vehicles during the same month, which was less than 2 percent down from the previous year. But fiscal-year-to-date, vehicle volumes are up 25 percent.

Meanwhile, inland Port Greer had 12,994 rail moves in September, up 4 percent year-over-year, while inland Port Dillon’s 3,108 rail moves that same month was up a whopping 27 percent over September 2019. The inland ports’ combined 16,102 rail moves in September represented an 8 percent jump from a year ago.

“September volumes outperformed expectations as we see an uptick in cargo flowing through our marine terminals and inland ports,” says SC Ports President and CEO Jim Newsome said. “We will continue to operate well-run terminals, as we have throughout the pandemic.”

And, they will continue to push the envelope.

“We remain highly focused on capturing more retail goods and e-commerce cargo, such as with Walmart’s new 3 million-square-foot distribution center Dorchester County,” Newsome said.

Like Savannah, the Port of Charleston also saw a record fall with the call in September by the CMA CGM Brazil. “The ability to seamlessly handle the CMA CGM Brazil highlights SC Ports’ deep harbor and modern capabilities,” Newsome said.

If that sounds similar to what came out with CMA CGM Brazil’s Savannah call, prepare for more déjà vu all over again: SC Ports also revealed its Charleston Harbor Deepening Project is on schedule to achieve a 52-foot depth in 2021.

“We have pursued an amazing amount of infrastructure in a short period of time,” Newsome observed. “In 2021, we will have the deepest harbor on the East Coast.”

PORT OF LONG BEACH

The Port of Long Beach accomplished a pair of records in September by achieving its busiest month ever and the most active quarter in its 109-year history.

Trade was up 12.5 percent in September compared to the same period in 2019. Dockworkers and terminal operators moved 795,580 cargo container units and broke the “best month” record; the previous single-month record of 753,081 TEUs was only set this past July, surpassing by nearly 42,500 TEUs.

The port processed 2,274,271 TEUs between July 1 and Sept. 30, a 14.1 percent increase from the third quarter of 2019. It was also the port’s busiest quarter on record, topping the previous record set during the third quarter of 2017 by nearly 160,000 TEUs.

“Large retail stores are reopening, merchants are stocking up for the winter holidays and the increased use of e-commerce appears to be an enduring trend picked up by consumers during the recent stay-at-home orders,” said Mario Cordero, the port’s executive director. “Still, we must move ahead with caution during the remaining months of 2020 because the national economy continues to be heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“These numbers reflect a continuation of the secure, speedy and reliable service we provide at the Port of Long Beach during this difficult time in our country,” added Long Beach Harbor Commission President Frank Colonna. “Delivering top-notch customer service and maintaining the health of our workforce remains our top priority.”

The port saw 92 containerships call in September, 19 of which were unscheduled vessels that made up for voyages canceled earlier this year.

PORT MANATEE

Port Manatee’s dynamic containerized cargo trade continues to swell at a record pace, surging nearly 55 percent in the just-ended fiscal year, according to figures reported on Oct. 13 by the closest U.S. deepwater seaport to the expanded Panama Canal.

In the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, an all-time-high 88,466 TEUs crossed Port Manatee docks, up 54.6 percent from the preceding 12-month period, when the port saw moves of 57,239 TEUs. That figure was up 49.2 percent over fiscal 2018, when 38,361 TEUs moved through the Palmetto, Florida, port.

“With container throughput more than doubling over the course of just two years, Port Manatee is increasingly fulfilling regional consumer demands for goods ranging from fresh produce to appliances,” said Carlos Buqueras, Port Manatee’s executive director. “As our dockside container yard expansion project advances toward mid-2021 completion, Port Manatee is positioning to continue to efficiently handle rapidly growing cargo volumes.”

The container yard expansion is adding 9.3 acres to the existing 10-acre paved facility adjoining Port Manatee’s Berth 12 and 14 docks.

While the COVID-19 pandemic and related impacts did not slow Port Manatee’s container upsurge–including a 24.9 percent rise in containerized cargo tons to 668,672–some other cargo sectors were negatively affected at the fiscal year’s end.

The port’s total cargo tonnage for fiscal 2020 of 9,327,183 was down 7.5 percent from the record 10,081,743 tons in fiscal 2019, with liquid bulk tonnage slipping 8.6 percent, to 5,957,157, and dry bulk tonnage falling 16.7 percent, to 1,866,383. Led by increased volumes of lumber and scrap metal, Port Manatee’s general cargo throughput was up 9.3 percent, to 531,019 tons.

Priscilla Whisenant Trace, chairwoman of the Manatee County Port Authority, said she is encouraged by the port’s latest cargo numbers, realized amid the implementation of enhanced health and safety measures.

“We commend the men and women who are maintaining essential operations at Port Manatee, serving consumers of Southwest Florida and beyond,” she said. “Sustained growth of Port Manatee’s container trade is a testament to the success of our diverse strategy, with key infrastructure investments poised to facilitate even greater cargo activity and deliver still more positive socioeconomic impacts throughout our region.”

PORT OF BUFFALO

“Exploding” is how Port Director Patricia C. Schreiber describes the Port of Buffalo’s 2020 navigation season, which through early September had welcomed 15 vessels with more scheduled to arrive.

“Projects that we’ve been working on for years have finally come to fruition,” Schreiber says in a press statement. “We’ve expanded the realm of everybody’s projects here by offering as much as we can whether it’s transloading, warehousing, rail or dock-side service, and even long-term storage.”

A diverse mix of commodities at the forefront of the Port of Buffalo’s busy season include wind turbines, salt, and sugar. The port’s sugar business began in the fall of 2019 when Schreiber worked to attract a new terminal customer.

“We were able to develop this new partnership because we’re a one-stop-shop with certified weigh scales and the ability to bring in material via vessel and out by either train or truck,” notes Schreiber. “We were and continue to be responsible for offloading bags of sugar from the vessel, stacking them into our warehouse, and scaling our customer’s trucks for shipping.”

You might say Buffalo’s taste for sugar has . . . wait for it . . .

“This year, our customer decided that they were only going to ship organic sugar,” Schreiber revealed. “So, we created a custom solution on their behalf. To handle the organic sugar shipments, we decided to certify the Port of Buffalo as an organic port.”

The Port of Buffalo is a proud member of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System, a marine highway that extends 2,300 miles from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. About 143.5 million metric tons of cargo are moved across the system on an annual basis, supporting more than 237,868 jobs and $35 billion in economic activity.

Like its partner facilities within the system, the Port of Buffalo is seeing international shipments of wind energy components taking off. Explaining that the process to bid on wind turbines actually began two years ago, Schreiber says “our hard work paid off. This year, we’ve been handling multiple shipments of wind turbines. To us, that means a full dock for the season.”

Archives, Features, Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily, Ocean Ports

America’s Expanding Ports: Ports Investing to Improve Their Market Share

November 9th, 2020 Matt Coker Leave a comment

What do ports in Maryland, Georgia, Texas, Florida, and California have in common?

A commitment to future growth through current investment. Operators of the ports that follow are not content with the status quo. They see opportunities on the horizon and know that to grab them, they must continually pour in resources (or locate them from private and/or government partners) to expand port operations.

This is happening at so many ports around the country that listing them all would run head-on into our space constraints. What we decided to do instead was simply highlight just some of those expanding that have got our notice lately. If you feel your favorite port should have been included, drop us a line so we’ll make extra sure to check it out the next time around.

PORT OF BALTIMORE

A $116.4 million public-private partnership (P3) between the Maryland Department of Transportation’s Maryland Port Administration and Ports America Chesapeake is already paying dividends. Among the projects that has been completed as part of the 50-year agreement was the deepening of the Seagirt Marine Terminal, which Ports America Chesapeake operates at the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore.

A new record was set at Seagirt Marine Terminal at 11p.m. on Aug. 18, when the 5,536th and final container move over three days was accomplished by longshore workers handling the Maersk Edinburgh. The largest number of moves for a single ship in the Port’s 314-year history would not have been possible had the berth not been deepened to 50 feet to accommodate ships like the Maersk Edinburgh.

In addition to the deeper berth, the P3 agreement, which was forged in 2009 in the wake of a national recession, includes the creation of a second 50-foot berth, the installation of four supersized container cranes and $100 million in improvements for Maryland roads, bridges and tunnels.

“This record container activity is a significant milestone for the Port of Baltimore and a sign that the maritime shipping industry is coming back and fueling Maryland’s economic recovery,” says Governor Larry Hogan. “The container growth at the Port of Baltimore shows the benefits of public-private partnerships in delivering infrastructure more quickly and stretching state and federal dollars by also relieving the state of the long-term infrastructure maintenance costs.”

PORT OF SAVANNAH

The Port of Savannah handled 4.44 million twenty-foot equivalent container units in Fiscal Year 2020, down less than 1 percent compared to the previous year. Despite COVID-19 disruptions, total tons crossing all Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) docks reached a record 37.77 million, up 0.6 percent, or 223,000 tons, compared to FY2019. Container tons grew 2 percent (560,440 tons) to reach 33.5 million tons for the year, another record.

As you can see, these challenging times were no match for the GPA’s ongoing expansion projects, which include the harbor deepening and Mason Mega Rail.

Projects such as these have quickened the pace of commercial infrastructure investment in Savannah. According to the latest report from Colliers International, 5 million square feet of industrial space are currently under construction in the Savannah market. In addition, Savannah is home to a total of 74.4 million square feet of warehouse and manufacturing space.

“What sets Savannah apart from the competition is the sheer capacity of the port’s ever-expanding footprint, on and off the terminal,” says Will McKnight, GPA’s board chairman. “Not only are we focused on the future and providing even greater value to our customers, but we have nearly unlimited potential and capacity to grow our business.”

PORT MANATEE

The port in Palmetto, Florida, is advancing an $8.3 million project to nearly double the size of its dockside container yard with the July 28 approval of a construction contract by the Manatee County Port Authority.

The container yard expansion, targeted for June 2021 completion, promises to add 9.3 acres to the existing 10-acre paved facility adjoining Port Manatee’s Berth 12 and 14 docks. “Expansion of the dockside container yard to encompass 19.3 acres not only will accommodate dynamic demand from such longtime users as Port Manatee-based World Direct Shipping and Del Monte Fresh Produce Co. but also will literally and figuratively pave the way for further global commerce opportunities at our flourishing seaport,” says Carlos Buqueras, Port Manatee’s executive director.

The expansion project is a cornerstone of the two-year, $38 million capital enhancement initiative underway at Port Manatee, Buqueras adds.

“In these challenging times for our nation, Port Manatee continues to thrive as a vital economic engine for our region and beyond, serving as a preferred gateway for numerous key commodities,” says Priscilla Whisenant Trace, chairwoman of the Manatee County Port Authority. “With the expansion of container yard capabilities, Port Manatee is opening the proverbial door for even greater international trade and accompanying well-paying jobs.”

PORT EVERGLADES

Broward County’s Port Everglades announced in May it was advancing $1.6 billion in infrastructure improvements that are underway and expected to be completed in the next five years.

Included are: a $471 million berth expansion, the largest infrastructure project in the Florida port’s history; the addition of three Super Post-Panamax container-handling gantry cranes, valued at $41 million; the deepening the port’s navigation channels from 42 feet to 48-50 feet and widening narrower sections of the channel for safe vessel passage; a new international logistics center, which is currently under construction through a public-private partnership; and petroleum slip improvements.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is certainly impacting this year’s bottom line, but we are fortunate that Port Everglades’ diversified business sectors of cargo, cruise, and petroleum can address a dip in one business sector and be balanced out with stability in other revenue-generating business sectors, says Glenn Wiltshire, acting chief executive and port director. “As a result, Port Everglades has a history of financial success and has budgeted for several sizeable construction projects that are moving forward at a rapid pace with little disruption from the virus.” said Port Everglades’

PORT OF JACKSONVILLE (JAXPORT)

In February, the federal government allocated $93 million for the next phase of deepening the Jacksonville shipping channel to 47 feet from its current depth of 40 feet. A milestone for the project and a major victory for that region of Florida, the federal government has now fully funded the government’s portion of deepening through JAXPORT’s Blount Island Marine Terminal.

Upon completion of the deepening project, the SSA Jacksonville Container Terminal at Blount Island will feature a vessel turning basin and have the ability to simultaneously accommodate two post-Panamax vessels. In November 2019, the U.S Department of Transportation awarded JAXPORT a $20 million grant to enable the facility to accommodate more containers on an expanded footprint.

“This is the first time JAXPORT has ever received funding in the president’s budget, which speaks volumes about the significance of this project to the Southeast U.S. and the nation,” says JAXPORT CEO Eric Green. “We are extremely grateful to our federal, state and local partners, as well as the dedication and leadership of the JAXPORT Board, for their steadfast support of our growth and the 138,000 jobs Jacksonville’s seaport generates in Florida.”

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry summed it up by saying, “This is a significant win for Jacksonville and as I have said before, the continued support from our state and federal partners demonstrates the strength of JAXPORT’s future.”

PORT OF HUENEME

In June, when Pacific Coast Business Times named Kristin Decas, Port of Hueneme CEO & port director, as a Top Woman in Business for the sixth year in a row, and awarded Jess Herrera, the port’s longest-serving commissioner from the Oxnard Harbor District, with the 2020 Latino Leadership Award, both honorees separately mentioned the port’s recent growth as being among their proudest accomplishments.

Herrera, whose 54 years of service at the Port of Hueneme began when he was hired as a longshoreman there, has played a vital role in expanding the port’s infrastructure, especially with his shepherding of a historic joint use agreement partnership with Naval Base Ventura County that increased port capacity as well as revenue for Hueneme and the U.S. Navy.

Decas, who became the first woman to lead the Port of New Bedford in its more than 50-year history before becoming the first woman to lead the Port of Hueneme in its 83-year history, has seen the latter facility achieve record-breaking cargo growth of 23 percent, handling over 1.6 million metric tons of cargo. Hueneme moves $9.5 billion in goods each year and consistently ranks among the top 10 U.S. ports for automobiles and fresh produce. Port operations bring $1.7 billion in economic activity and create 15,834 trade-related jobs.

“Our port has been able to grow and succeed because of the many partnerships and support from our community,” Decas said upon receiving her accolade from the Pacific Coast Business Times. “Together, we have been able to grow jobs, increase exports from our local industries by 66 percent and become the Greenest Port in the United States.”

PORT OF BROWNSVILLE

With more than $43 billion worth of projects currently in the works, the Port of Brownsville is transforming the Rio Grande Valley by creating positive investment opportunities and jobs.

What’s that? You want numbers? Gotcha: The only deepwater port on the U.S./Mexico border supports a total of $3 billion in total economic activity for Texas and is responsible for 51,468 jobs within the Lone Star State, according to an independent analysis conducted by Martin Associates on port activity for the 2018 calendar year.

Those jobs related to cargo moving through the marine terminals and shipbuilding and rig repair activities resulted in personal income that totaled at $2.6 billion, concluded the analysis, which also found more than $200 million in tax revenue was generated by the Brownsville port’s activities.

“The data clearly show that the Port of Brownsville is a remarkable resource with a reach extending far beyond the Rio Grande Valley,” says economist John Martin, PhD, who authored the report. “With more than 51,000 jobs related to the port’s operations and more than $3 billion in total economic impact across the state, the port is a significant driver of opportunities today and in the future.”

Archives, Features, Global Trade Daily, Top Ports

BEHOLD, IT’S AMERICA’S TOP 50 POWER PORTS

October 9th, 2020 Matt Coker Leave a comment

Some ports excel in imports, some in exports, others in domestic trade and still more in international trade. America’s Top 50 Power Ports are the highest ranked in total trade, however.

Based on their U.S. port ranking by cargo volume in 2018, the fabulous fifty are:

1. South Louisiana, LA

Total tons: 275,512,500

Stretching 54 miles along the Mississippi River, South Louisiana is the largest tonnage port district in the western hemisphere.

2. Houston, TX

Total tons: 268,930,047

Handling about 70 percent of all the container cargo through the Gulf of Mexico coast, the Houston channel serves nearly as many calls as Los Angeles, Long Beach and New York/New Jersey combined.

3. New York/New Jersey

Total tons: 140,281,992

The gateway to one of the most concentrated consumer markets in North America, the Port of New York and New Jersey is the largest on the East Coast.

4. Beaumont, TX

Total tons: 100,244,231

The world-class intermodal transportation facility is served by three class one rail carriers, located within two miles of Interstate 10, and situated on a deep-water channel with a 40-foot draft.

5. Corpus Christi, TX

Total tons: 93,468,323

Positioned on the western Gulf of Mexico with a 36-mile, 47 foot (MLLW) deep channel, the port is a major gateway to international and domestic maritime commerce, with railroad and highway network connectivity via three class one rail carriers and two major interstate highways.

6. New Orleans, LA

Total Tons: 93,332,543

A modern multimodal gateway for global commerce, the port’s competitive edge comes from an ability to deliver seamless, integrated logistics solutions between river, rail and road.

7. Long Beach, CA

Total tons: 86,536,154

The second-busiest container seaport in the U.S. is the premier American gateway for trans-Pacific trade and a trailblazer in innovative goods movement, safety, environmental stewardship and sustainability.

8. Baton Rouge, LA

Total tons: 82,234,811

Strategically located on the Mississippi River, the Port of Greater Baton Rouge is a major driver of the state’s economy, ranking among the U.S. top ports in total tonnage.

9. Hampton Roads, VA

Total tons: 71,774,349

The Port of Virginia’s network of terminals can process more than 4 million containers on an annual basis, serving ultra-large containers vessels arriving from across the Atlantic, inland barge service traveling up the James River as well as rail as the No. 1 in volume on the East Coast.

10. Los Angeles, CA

Total tons: 67,806,137

Billed as “America’s Port” (it’s registered!), the nation’s premier gateway for international commerce is the busiest seaport in the Western Hemisphere, handling diverse commodities from avocado to zinc.

11. Mobile, LA

Total tons: 58,635,622

Alabama’s only seaport to ensure economies of scale and competitive rates for mining, manufacturing, agribusiness and retail/distribution shippers, Mobile just watched the ink dry on a pact that will modernize facilities and deepen and widen the shipping channel.

12. Lake Charles, LA

Total tons: 56,908,344

The deepwater seaport on the Calcasieu Ship Channel, north of the U.S. Gulf Coast, opened in 1926 and today is the 12th-busiest port district in the nation, based on tonnage, as ranked by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

13. Plaquemines, LA

Total tons: 56,850,137

Located at the mouth of the Mississippi River on the Gulf of Mexico, the Port of Plaquemines is about 20 miles south of New Orleans.

14. Baltimore, MD

Total tons: 44,778,259

The Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore handled a new record of 43.6 million tons of cargo in 2019, including more than 11 million tons of general cargo at the state-owned public terminals for the first time ever. The number of vehicles (857,890) topped all U.S. ports for the ninth straight year.

15. Texas City, TX

Total tons: 42,682,311

The privately-owned port, whose shareholders include Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway, is the 15th largest port in the country and fourth-largest in Texas.

16. Savannah, GA

Total tons: 41,273,947

Savannah joins fellow deepwater port Brunswick and inland terminals in Chatsworth, Bainbridge and Columbus to serve as Georgia’s gateway to the world, especially for raw materials and finished products bound for, well, all over the globe.

17. Port Arthur, TX

Total tons: 39,851,706

The ultimate direct transfer facility for international cargo shipping is positioned on the Gulf of Mexico, where it competitively handles any type of commodity.

18. Cincinnati, OH-Northern Kentucky

Total tons: 38,534,187

Part of the Ohio-Mississippi River Waterway on the banks of the Ohio River, the port is at the center of a large metropolitan area that occupies parts of Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.

19. Louis, MO/IL

Total tons: 37,426,710

The Port of Metropolitan St. Louis is 70 miles long, situated on both sides of the Mississippi River, and is the 19th largest U.S. port according to the 2018 US Army Corps data. The northernmost ice- and lock-free port on the Mississippi, the port is served by six class one rail carriers, seven Interstates and two international airports.

20. Duluth-Superior, MN/WI

Total tons: 35,102,200

Long known as the Great Lakes “bulk cargo capital,” the port accommodates the maritime transportation needs of a wide range of industries, ranging from agriculture, forestry, mining and manufacturing to construction, power generation and passenger cruising.

21. Huntington – Tristate

Total tons: 34,245,342

Centered on the Ohio River in Huntington, the Port of Huntington Tri-State is the largest inland port in the U.S. and the largest river port in West Virginia.

22. Tampa, FL

Total tons: 31,006,487

Serving container ships, tank ships and cruise lines, Port Tampa Bay is the largest port in Florida and only 25 sea miles from the Gulf of Mexico.

23. Pascagoula, MS

Total tons: 27,358,043

The deepwater port on the southeastern coast of Mississippi consistently ranks in the top tier of ports in the nation related to foreign trade. Primary exports include frozen foods, general cargo, grains, machinery, forest products, fertilizer and petroleum products.

24. Richmond, CA

Total tons: 27,255,061

With its roots in petroleum and liquid bulk cargos, Richmond has expanded its dry bulk, breakbulk and containerized cargo handling capabilities and has increased its automobile processing facilities. Today, Richmond ranks No. 1 in liquid bulk and automobile tonnage among ports on San Francisco Bay.

25. Philadelphia, PA

Total tons: 26,656,373

Located on the Delaware River in Philadelphia, the port’s publicly owned marine terminals are managed by the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (a.k.a. PhilaPort, an agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that is responsible for six other ports that combined create one of the largest shipping areas of the country.

26. Seattle, WA

Total tons: 26,046,093

The port keeps Washington state connected through aviation, maritime, logistics, trade and travel services. Its scope includes Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac), and in 2014 an alliance was formed between the ports of Seattle and Tacoma.

27. Valdez, AK

Total tons: 25,807,750

Valdez is a fishing port, both for commercial and sport fishing, but freight also moves through bound for the interior of Alaska. Valdez is connected to the inland by the Richardson Highway, while also serving as a port of call in the Alaska Marine Highway ferry system.

28. Freeport, TX

Total tons: 25,446,078

Billed as one of the most accessible Texas ports “by land and by sea,” Port Freeport is administered as an independent governmental body authorized by an act of the Texas Legislature in 1925. Located about 60 miles south of Houston, the port is accessible via state highway 36, and highway 288.

29. Port Everglades, FL

Total tons: 25,022,351

Port Everglades is one of Broward County’s leading economic engines, generating nearly $32 billion in economic activity annually while supporting 13,000 local jobs for people who work at the Port and for companies that provide direct services.

30. Charleston, SC

Total tons: 24,822,636

The South Carolina seaport’s facilities span three municipalities—Charleston, North Charleston and Mount Pleasant—with five public terminals handling containers, motor vehicles and other rolling stock, non-containerized goods and project cargo. Privately owned and operated facilities at the port handle bulk commodities such as coal, steel and petroleum.

31. Portland, OR

Total tons: 23,228,424

‪Oregon’s largest port ships more than 11 million tons of cargo a year, including grain, minerals, forest products, and autos. The port partners with the region’s businesses and shippers to develop custom shipping solutions that deliver results.

32. Tacoma, WA

Total tons: 22,849,184

Seattle’s Northwest Seaport Alliance partner jointly manages marine cargo operations to strengthen the Puget Sound gateway. Tacoma is strategically located in the northwest corner of the U.S., where the focus is on efficiency, reliability, and customer service.

33. Pittsburgh, PA

Total tons: 21,567,015

The port spans a 12-county area, encompassing essentially all 200 miles of commercially navigable waterways in southwestern Pennsylvania, including the three major rivers in this region: the Allegheny, the Monongahela, and the Ohio.

34. Oakland, CA

Total tons: 19,373,876

The first major port on the Pacific coast to build terminals for container ships, Oakland went on in 2002 to develop an intermodal container handling system to handle a high volume of cargo.

35. Jacksonville, FL

Total tons: 17,999,036

JAXPORT is a global gateway to the nation’s third-largest state, serving dozens of ocean carriers and offering competitive transit times to 140 ports in more than 70 countries. JAXPORT boasts of 100 trucking firms and 40 daily trains via two class one rail carriers and a regional rail line.

36. Two Harbors, MN

Total tons: 17,208,207

You will mostly see “lakers” (ships that travel within the Great Lakes) in Twin Harbors’ Agate Bay, but more and more there are also ocean-going vessels arriving to load iron ore that was delivered by rail from mines in northern Minnesota.

37. Chicago, IL

Total tons: 16,866,792

Located on the Chicago River on Lake Michigan, the port has a rich history as a center of commercial shipping, with fur traders choosing it as a distribution point for their products. Operated by the Illinois International Port District, Chicago consists of various port facilities, including a terminal with 100 acres of warehouses and facilities.

38. Boston, MA

Total tons: 16,163,552

The major seaport in Boston Harbor and adjacent to the City of Boston is the largest port in Massachusetts as well as one of the principal ports on the East Coast. Most cargo handling facilities are in the Boston neighborhoods of Charlestown, East Boston, South Boston and in the neighboring city of Everett.

39. Paulsboro, NJ

Total tons: 16,121,201

The Paulsboro Marine Terminal, the first major port to be constructed on the Delaware River in more than 50 years, has processed more than 4 million tons of imported steel slabs since it opened in 2017. The second phase of construction is scheduled for completion in 2021. At full build-out, the new facility will feature three berths on the river and a barge berth on Mantua Creek.

40. Kalama, WA

Total tons: 15,796,458

Sitting on the Columbia River in Southwest Washington, immediately off of Interstate 5, the port is just 30 miles northwest of Portland and 120 miles south of Seattle. Kalama’s industrial area includes five miles of riverfront property adjacent to the river’s 43-foot, federally maintained deep-draft navigation channel.

41. Honolulu, HI

Total tons: 15,181,890

The gateway to Hawaii is less than 2 miles from the major steamship lines and carriers. The 3-acre Honolulu Freight Service terminal services all domestic and international inbound cargo, utilizing a 60,000-square-foot facility with 14 dock high doors, ramp access and conveniently located on North Nimitz Highway.

42. Detroit, MI

Total tons: 14,837,762

Located along the west side of the Detroit River, Michigan’s largest seaport consists of multiple marine terminals handling general, liquid, and bulk cargo as well as passengers. The Port of Detroit’s single most valuable commodity is steel, and the largest commodity handled by tonnage is ore. Other important commodities handled at the port include stone, coal, and cement.

43. Longview, WA

Total tons: 13,738,906

Operating since 1921, the port has eight marine terminals and waterfront industrial property spanning 835 acres on the deep-draft Columbia River, 66 miles from the Pacific Ocean in southwest Washington state.

44. Marcus Hook, PA

Total tons: 12,205,883

The Delaware Bay seaport has an anchorage depth of 11 to 12.2 meters, a cargo pier depth of 9.4 to 10 meters, and an oil terminal depth of 11 to 12.2 meters.

45. Indiana Harbor, IN

Total tons: 11,910,541

July 17, 2020, marked the 50th anniversary of the grand opening of the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor, the beginning of an organization that connects America’s heartland to the world and provides a stimulus to the state’s economy.

46. Cleveland, OH

Total tons: 11,778,910

One of the largest ports on the Great Lakes, the port is responsible for more than 20,000 jobs and $3.5 billion in annual economic activity. The Port of Cleveland is the only local government agency whose sole mission is to spur job creation and economic vitality in Cuyahoga County.

47. San Juan, PR

Total tons: 11,737,059

The port’s cargo facilities are located on the southern portion of San Juan Bay. At least eight cargo terminals–five in the Puerto Nuevo district and the rest in neighboring Guaynabo—have immediate access to Puerto Rico’s vast expressway system and several major local routes.

48. Memphis, TN

Total tons: 11,055,740

The “International” Port of Memphis the second-largest inland port on the shallow draft portion of the Mississippi River, and the fifth largest inland port in the nation.

49. Anacortes, WA

Total tons: 11,038,886

One of only eight deepwater ports in Washington state, Anacortes can accommodate Panamax vessels with additional dredging. The port—which was ranked 49th among U.S. ports and fifth among Washington ports in total trade by cargo tonnage during 2016—is known for its diverse, highly skilled maritime sector workforce.

50. Vancouver, WA

Total tons: 10,527,470

One of the major ports on the Pacific Coast, Vancouver (of Washington, not British Columbia) boasts as competitive strengths available land, versatile cargo handling capabilities, vast transportation networks, a skilled labor force and an exceptional level of service to its customers and community.

Archives, Features, Global Logistics, Global Shippers 101, Ocean Ports

AMERICA’S LEADING PORTS FROM COAST TO COAST

August 16th, 2020 Obinna Morton Leave a comment

What makes a well-functioning port? Let us count the ways. There are a number of factors that contribute to the success of a port. First is location. A port should be in a region with natural resources, access to transportation and enough space for future growth. Second, it should have access to funding through government or private investment. Without this, infrastructure that facilitates the transport of goods can’t be built—tanks, cranes, quays and jetties, for example.

Third, a port should be able to accommodate ships. Does the port provide easy access during low and high tides? How well are the facilities maintained, particularly during flooding, droughts, or in extreme weather? Great ports also have the resources needed to function, including piers, stacking yards, and warehouses. And last, for the ports with an eye toward the future, they should also have access to land that will help with expansion. It will provide easy access to transport—river, rail, road.

A great port is the rare amalgam of art and science—like these leading American ports from coast to coast.

1. Port of New York and New Jersey

With 72 percent of the first port of calls on the East Coast, the Port of New York and New Jersey is the busiest in the region. It has contributed to the New York City area becoming an affluent commercial district nationally and globally. The largest port on the East Coast is also the third-largest in the United States.

It supports 400,000 jobs and has generated almost $8.5 billion in local, state, and federal tax revenues. It has facilitated more than 85 million tons of cargo worth more than $211 billion. Its top exports are wood pulp, wood and articles of wood, and plastics. Top imports are beverages, plastic and machinery parts. New York and New Jersey is No. 3 nationally for the total volume of exports, the highest on the East Coast, behind the West Coast ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles.

2. Ports of Tacoma and Seattle

The Port of Seattle and the Port of Tacoma—both located in Washington State and jointly operated by the Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA)—is the fourth-largest container gateway. The NWSA, by way of the Port of Seattle and the Port of Tacoma, also ships bulk, breakbulk, project/heavy-lift cargos and vehicles. These ports provide a gateway for major distribution points in the Midwest, Ohio Valley and East Coast.

The NWSA is also a key trade partner with Asia. International trade generated was worth $75.3 billion in 2017. Domestic trade, which includes routes through Puget Sound on the way to Alaska, generated $5.4 billion in 2015, according to the NWSA. The No. 1 gateway for refrigerated exports, the NWSA ports helped generate more than $4.3 billion in revenue for Washington State.

3. Port of Los Angeles

The Port of Los Angeles isn’t quite located in the city of Los Angeles but is 25 miles south in the San Pedro Bay. Nonetheless, the Port of LA is the No. 1 container port in the U.S. in terms of cargo volume going in and out of the port. It includes 7,500 acres of land and 43 miles of waterfront. The Port of LA has passenger and cargo terminals that accommodate containers, cruise lines, automobiles, dry and liquid bulk, breakbulk and warehouse stage space.

Also, the No. 1 container port in the Western Hemisphere since 2000, the Port of LA moved more than 9.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2019. The port is currently undergoing a $2.6 billion infrastructural redevelopment project to strengthen its economic arm and cargo efficiency. The gateway for trade with Asia has a diverse array of exports ranging from avocados and zinc.

4. Port of Long Beach

The Port of Long Beach is the No. 2 busiest container seaport in the U.S., which is fitting because it operates in concert with its numero uno neighbor the Port of Los Angeles. Long Beach’s port supports one in five jobs in its city and contributes to $200 billion in trade annually. The port handled more than 8 million TEUs in 2018, its busiest year. Its Middle Harbor Redevelopment Project is pioneering sustainable practices through a 10-year construction program. It will redevelop two older terminals to create a more advanced, greener container terminal.

A western gateway to Asia, the port has more than 90 percent of its shipments bound for East Asian countries. The Port of Long Beach boasts 3,520 acres of land, 4,600 acres of water, 10 piers, 62 berths and 68 post-Panamax gantry cranes. It also handles 82.3 million metric tons of cargo per year.

5. Port of Houston

Houston might not be the first city that comes to mind when you think “international city,” yet the Gulf Coast location serves as a gateway to various countries. That explains why its port is built for international trade—to the point that it’s the No. 1 U.S. port in total foreign waterborne tonnage, with imports and exports combined.

The Port of Houston contributes 20 percent of the GDP for the state of Texas, worth $339 billion. With 69 percent of all U.S. Gulf Coast container traffic, the Port of Houston is the largest container port. It also prioritizes air quality in the local region through the use of alternative fuels and low-emission equipment and vehicles.

6. South Carolina Ports

Here are two winning statistics: the South Carolina Ports boast more crane moves per hour than any other U.S. port (37), and it also exported more than 194,000 vehicles in 2019. Opened in 1942, the South Carolina Ports Authority consists of public maritime terminals at the Port of Charleston, the Port of Georgetown, and inland ports in Dillion and Greer.

Deep channels accommodate vessels up to 48 feet, and ships are two hours sailing distance from open ocean to South Carolina Ports. Turnaround times for trucks at the gates are 23 minutes with nine minutes at the interchange gate. Transportation is also amenable with interstate access within two miles of all South Carolina Ports, and rail access through CSX and Norfolk Southern railroads.

7. Port of Oakland

The Port of Oakland waters are 50 feet deep to accommodate vessels that hold capacities of up to 18,000 TEUs. This up-and-coming port has transportation partners that include Union Pacific and BNSF Railway. International accounts for 92 percent of the port’s trade, with 78 percent being with Asia, 11 percent with Europe and 2 percent apiece with Australia/New Zealand and Oceania and other foreign countries. The Port of Oakland is one of the three major container ports in California that account for more than 50 percent of total U.S. cargo volume.

The port contributes to more than 73,000 jobs in the Oakland region, and more than 827,000 in the United States. Growth With Care, a five-year growth plan the port released in 2018, aims to bring in more business, with a goal of 2.6 million TEUs and an 8 percent increase in containerized cargo volume by 2022. Investing in large projects and focusing more on sustainable practices throughout the port are also part of the growth plan.

8. PortMiami

The Port of Miami (a.k.a. PortMiami) is the U.S. container port that is closest to the Panama Canal. It provides global access to Florida and much of the rest of the United States. It’s also the closest East Coast port to Mexico.

More than $1 billion was invested in 2019 to make PortMiami even more accessible globally. It has a deeper dredge to welcome large cargo vessels, and on-port rail provides alternative transportation. The port also has an underwater tunnel that connects to the interstate to keep port traffic off of the highway. PortMiami is located strategically at the nexus of north-south and east-west trade lines.

9. Port of South Louisiana

This 54-mile long port sits at the intersection of the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River, which provides easy distribution for products at the domestic and international levels. The Port of Louisiana has three main interstates that connect to the port. It is also served by six major gas and oil lines, transporting more than 1.1 million barrels of crude oil per day.

In 2019, the Port of Louisiana had 3,495 calls from oceangoing vessels, and 54,921 barge calls. The total throughput for the year totaled more than 258 million tons of cargo through vessels and barges. Port of South Louisiana’s Foreign Trade Zone 124 was ranked No. 1 by Merchandise Magazine based on admitted products worth $51.8 billion. The port, which is also ranked No. 1 domestically for total throughput tonnage, boasts the largest grain port in America. Air cargo is accessible through the Louis Armstrong International Airport.

10. Port of Corpus Christi

Operating since 1926, this 36-mile Texas port provides a 47-foot deep channel for domestic and international trade. It provides access through rail and road, connecting to two major interstate highways (37 and 181) and three railroads (BNSF, Kansas City Southern and Union Pacific). It is the third-largest port domestically and No. 2 for crude oil exports.

With a warm climate that allows for easy operation year-round, the Port of Corpus Christi is also a part of the Intracoastal Waterway that stretches from Brownville, Texas, to Boston, Massachusetts, along the Atlantic Coast. The port also implements renewable energy practices by using wind energy for breakbulk and heavy-lift cargo.

11. Port of Mobile

The Port of Mobile carries more than $22.4 billion in economic value to Alabama. The only deepwater port in the state, it sits on the Mobile River. It houses 5 million square feet of warehouse and open-yard space and has a channel depth of 45 feet. Its tonnage in 2018 totaled 26.8 million tons.

Major imports for the Port of Mobile include heavy lift and oversized cargo, containers, coal, aluminum, iron and steel. Major exports include heavy lift and oversized cargo, containers, coal, lumber, and plywood. The port has 1,500 miles of inland and Intracoastal waterways. It serves the Gulf of Mexico, the Ohio and Tennessee river valleys and the Great Lakes. It is owned and operated by the Alabama State Port Authority.

12. Port of Greater Baton Rouge

The Port of Greater Baton Rouge sits where the Mississippi River and Gulf Intercoastal Waterway converge. Its 45-foot shipping channel is upheld by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This port also offers access to intermodal transportation via connections to interstate highways.

The Midwest and other U.S. regions can be accessed through the Port of Baton Rouge’s 15,000 miles of inland waterways. The port also provides access to the Gulf of Mexico, Latin America and the Panama Canal. Its bulk and breakbulk cargo include asphalt, aggregates, limestone, barite, carbon black, coal and coffee.

13. Port of Plaquemines

Twenty miles south of the Port of New Orleans (and also in Louisiana) is the Port of Plaquemines, which boasts of more than 100 miles of deep-draft access, with a minimum of 45 feet. It’s within the same Plaquemines Parish where you will find the unincorporated community of Venice, which supports oil and gas tonnage. Venice has pipelines, petroleum infrastructure and draft wharfage with both deep and shallow water to support vessels carrying oil supply.

The Port of Plaquemines, which can be accessed by 33 U.S. states, has annual tonnage exceeding 55 million tons. Popular imports include coke, carbon black feedstock, crude and fuel oil. Exports include coal, grain-corn, soybean and wheat.

14. Port of Metropolitan St. Louis

That is how the city of St. Louis, Missouri’s port authority refers to the important trade hub in the Midwest. The 70-mile port is the second-largest inland port in the U.S. Its cargoes include grain, coal, chemicals, and petroleum products.

Metro St. Louis is also the 17th largest port in the U.S., with an intermodal transportation system that includes six Class One railroads, seven interstates, and two international airports. It has access to two foreign trade zones and contributes to thousands of jobs in Missouri and Illinois. The Port of Metropolitan St. Louis ships more than 36 tons of freight annually. It has 16 public terminals and more than 130 piers, wharves, docks, and fleeting.

15. Port of Portland

Oregon’s Port of Portland may be on the West Coast, but it is a central trade hub for the Midwest, having shipped more than 4 million tons of grain worldwide in 2017. It has been an auto gateway since 1953, importing and exporting vehicles manufactured by Ford, Toyota, Hyundai and Honda. More than 300,000 automobiles were imported or exported through the Port of Portland’s terminals in 2019.

This port’s intermodal transportation includes rail and interstate highways. With three airports, four terminals, and five business parks, the Port of Portland has also helped generate more than $6.4 billion a year for the region. It has also helped spur the creation of 27,000 jobs and contributes to more than $1.8 billion in wages.

16. Port of Pascagoula

More than 32 million tons of cargo pass through this Southeastern Mississippi port each year. The Port of Pascagoula is Mississippi’s largest seaport. This port provides easy access for shipment through the Gulf of Mexico. Shipping lanes can be accessed within two hours from open ocean, and the channels are 42 feet deep.

The Port of Pascagoula is operated by the Jackson County Port Authority. Popular imports are forest products, crude oil, and chemicals. Exports are forest products, paper products, petroleum products, chemicals and project cargo. It ranks No. 23 in total trade—domestic plus international—with a volume of 27 million tons in 2018, according to statistics from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Each of these ports fulfills different factors that help them to successfully function in their respective regions. Whether it’s the depth of the channels to allow for varying size ships to dock or easy access to transportation, these ports help to facilitate domestic and international trade. In turn, they help spur the creation of jobs and stronger local, state and national economies. Overall, these ports are helping to shape the United States economy for the better—one import, one export, at a time.

Archives, Global Trade Daily, Top Ports

GEORGIA PORTS AUTHORITY GETS EVEN BIGGER SHIP READY

March 20th, 2020 GT Staff Leave a comment

The completion of Garden City Terminal dock construction allows the Port of Savannah to serve three 14,000-TEU vessels as well as up to eight vessels simultaneously. But now the Georgia Ports Authority has announced the acquisition of 145 contiguous acres to the port that will allow for more than 1 million twenty-foot equivalent container units in annual capacity.

“As the Georgia Ports Authority enters its 75th year, we are proud to follow in the tradition of those who came before us, making exciting advances in capacity and technology to ensure our terminals remain at the forefront of global commerce,” said GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch at the Georgia Foreign Trade Conference on Feb. 4. “This is the largest addition of container terminal space in Savannah in more than 20 years, and represents a powerful opportunity for Georgia to take on new trade.”

Construction currently underway at the Ocean Terminal container yard is expected to be completed by the end of this year. An additional berth to be finished by 2023 will mean Garden City Terminal will have four big ship slots. A new Savannah Container Terminal on Hutchinson Island is projected to come online in 2025. The GPA’s goal is to increase its capacity to more than 9 million TEUs by 2030.

Georgia’s deepwater ports and inland barge terminals support more than 439,000 jobs throughout the state annually and contribute $25 billion in income, $106 billion in revenue and $2.9 billion in state and local taxes to Georgia’s economy, according to the GPA.

Archives, Global Trade Daily, U.S. Ports

DOMINATE AND EXPAND: THIS STRATEGY PROPELS RO/RO LEADING PORTS OF BALTIMORE AND SAVANNAH/BRUNSWICK

February 28th, 2020 Taylor Girardi Leave a comment

Being the Nos. 1 & 2 busiest roll-on/roll-off (Ro/Ro) ports in the nation isn’t quite good enough for the ports of Baltimore and Savannah/Brunswick. At least the Maryland Port Authority and Georgia Ports Authority are not resting on their laurels, anyway. These East Coast ports are doing their best to maintain their top-two rankings through initiatives such as investments in expansion and training programs for warehouse workers that are designed to increase efficiency and reduce damage and accidents in the loading/unloading process.

These growth initiatives are helping to not just cement the ports’ statuses in the Ro/Ro world—Baltimore has been the No. 1 Ro/Ro port in the United States for eight years running—but it’s making them even more desirable and competitive places for automobile manufacturers to do business.

Port of Baltimore

The Port of Baltimore continues to expand and thrive despite an uncertain trade climate. Larry Johnson, sales manager of Trade Development, Automotive, credits his port’s success to efforts to maintain positive relationships with their automotive industry partners, keeping those industry partners loyal.

One such partner, Volkswagen Group of America, recently began a partnership with Port of Baltimore to begin importing vehicles through the Tradeport Atlantic in Sparrows Point, which could provide an increase of 120,000 vehicles annually—and an additional 100 jobs.

The port also benefits from its proximity to the Midwest—it’s the closest seaport to Middle America—and with top notch services like efficient rail, cargo can get to destinations faster than from any other port on the East Coast. Baltimore’s strategic location is within two-thirds of the U.S. with just an overnight drive.

The Baltimore port’s training initiatives have helped cultivate the lowest damage rates in the industry. The port has also pioneered a program, Ro/Ro Rodeo, which is an intensive class to educate manufacturers in the highly specialized processes required to handle each specific type of vehicle that is processed through the port. Ro/Ro Rodeo has even developed a program for the highly specialized processing of farm and other industrial equipment

With almost 200 acres of pavement at the Dundalk Marine Terminal alone, the Port of Baltimore consistently breaks its own records for Ro/Ro processes, often increasing its volume as frequently as month to month, and their investments in expansion and training will likely keep that volume increasing for years to come.

“The Port of Baltimore is the No. 1 auto port in the nation and continues to break cargo records every month,” says Maryland Governor Larry Hogan in the September/October 2019 edition of Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore Magazine. “Our administration is committed to furthering this growth and strongly supports our great port and its thousands of hardworking men and women handling the millions of tons of cargo coming in throughout the year.”

Ports of Savannah and Brunswick, Georgia

The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) is the No. 2 Ro/Ro port in the United States. Its Port of Savannah increased volume almost 250,000 TEUs in 2019, according to the GPA. This growth of 5.6 percent over the previous year came at a time when auto sales are actually dropping–a true testament to the hard work of the port employees at Savannah and Brunswick.

A banner year for the ports, the Ocean Terminal recently won contracts with both Volvo and General Motors. The Colonel’s Island Terminal in Brunswick is a Ro/Ro-only port that is already home to International Auto Processing, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Solutions and Mercedes Benz USA.

The GPA properties are undergoing an expansion that will eventually create an additional 150,000 spaces for automobiles, bumping their processing capacity from 900,000 annually to 1.5 million. There are currently three dedicated Ro/Ro berths that process cargo via nine different steamship lines.

“Both Savannah and Brunswick are outperforming the market, with Garden City container trade growing at a rate three times faster than the U.S. total, and Brunswick Ro/Ro units increasing despite a drop in U.S. vehicle sales in 2019,” says GPA Board Chairman Will McKnight in a Jan. 28 statement.

Growth Despite Uncertainty

Strategic locations, ample space and work ethics that include faster cargo processing, in-depth training and safety records that far eclipse many competing ports are just a few reasons that these ports are leading the pack in Ro/Ro. With the onset of trade tariffs, such as those imposed on China, and reports that the United States’ manufacturing industry has experienced slowed growth recently, these ports have nevertheless managed to increase growth consistently. Growth when economic uncertainly looms large is a true testament to the power of excellent service and sound investment.

If these and other Ro/Ro ports can continue to capitalize on trends such as exporting goods to other countries competing for business with China, they will have learned that they can not just maintain their positions in the Ro/Ro processing rankings, but keep growing.

Archives, Global Trade Daily, News

SCPA’s Jim Newsome Recognized Among DC Velocity Logistics Rainmakers

August 5th, 2019 GT Staff Leave a comment

South Carolina Ports Authority’s (SCPA) CEO Jim Newsome is known for accomplishing significant logistics and shipping milestones in his role the last nine years including transforming the Port of Charleston to become a top 10 U.S. container port, reaching record volumes in 2019, and overseeing the development of two South Carolina port operations. These are just a few of the successful efforts Newsome can credit for earning him the coveted DC Velocity Logistics Rainmaker title, one month before his tenth year with SCPA. He is among eight other U.S. -based logistics professionals aka “rainmakers.”

“Global businesses, both import and export businesses, want to locate near capable ports,” Newsome said in an interview with DC Velocity. “My vision of the Port is to be the preferred port among the top 10 U.S. container ports. We are doing this by providing required port infrastructure in time to handle both anticipated growth and the deployment of big container ships. We want to make sure our Port offers the highest possible reliability in terms of productivity and efficiency.”

Beyond overseeing operations, projects, and breaking records, Newsome’s focus on company culture and workforce development at SCPA was demonstrated earlier this year as the company earned a spot on the Best Places to Work in South Carolina list.

“I have had the good fortune to work for great enterprises that were experiencing significant challenges when I joined them — you might say ‘turnaround’ situations,” Newsome said in the DC Velocity interview. “Developing a committed team of people to successfully address those challenges is what I consider my greatest professional achievement and, along the way, playing the part in the professional development of many of those key people so they could fulfill their career aspirations.”

Newsome’s exemplary leadership to the 700-person team reiterates his knowledge and expertise in the industry and what it takes to create a successful, dynamic team boasting SCPA qualities from safety and security, to adaptability, decisiveness, and enthusiasm.

“Jim Newsome has overseen the most complete and thorough overhaul of an organization that I have ever seen,” University of Tennessee professor Ted Stank said in Newsome’s Rainmaker profile. “Key to this transformation has been Jim’s vision of ports as a critical value node in the integrated end-to-end supply chain.”

Stank has also referred to Newsome as a leader that “defines the term ‘rainmaker.'”

US National Freight Data Portal One Step Closer to Reality

Port of Baltimore

Ports of Savannah and Brunswick, Georgia

Growth Despite Uncertainty

most viewed today