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Portland (OR): Port Maritime, Properties Businesses Post Gains Amidst Challenges

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The Port of Portland's marine franchise in 2012 recorded notable calendar year gains in steel and auto volumes despite disruptions related to a jurisdictional dispute and contract negotiations in the latter half of the year. The year-end total of 12.4 million short tons, though down 8 percent from 2011, gave the port its sixth best tonnage year on record. 

Auto volumes jumped 21 percent to 284,138 vehicles, thanks in part to the recovery from the impacts of 2011 disasters in Japan and Thailand. During 2012 as well, the port loaded its first American-made auto exports since 1988, with the addition of Ford as a customer. 

Breakbulk tonnage increased by 5 percent to nearly a million tons, much of it steel slab and steel rail imports. Barite ore (used for industrial drilling) and various large scale project cargos were handled at Terminal 2. 

At the container terminal, 2012 began with the addition of carrier Hamburg Süd and an expanded, weekly service in partnership with Hapag-Lloyd. ICTSI Oregon, Inc., the port’s terminal operator at Terminal 6, was selected for the Mayor’s Foreign Direct Investment Business Award in May. The terminal handled 183,203 containers, an 8 percent decrease from 2011. 

Starting in late May, the container terminal experienced slowdowns related to a jurisdictional dispute between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers over jobs involving the plugging, unplugging and monitoring of refrigerated containers. This matter is being handled in federal court. A separate issue involving contract negotiations with marine security officers was resolved.

Contract negotiations between the Pacific Northwest Grain Handlers Association and the ILWU have yet to reach resolution, but the port has no role in that process. Grain tonnage decreased by 15 percent in 2012 to just more than 4 million tons. However, the port says volumes should increase with the expansion of the grain elevator at Columbia Grain’s Terminal 5 facility. 

Mineral bulks – primarily potash used in fertilizer and soda ash used in glass production – dropped by 8 percent, to 4.8 million tons. The soda ash export facility at Terminal 4 will soon be equipped with a new, $8 million ship loader. 

Click here for detailed maritime traffic statistics.
 

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