Facebook Twitter Twitter    Archive | www.aapa-ports.org November 25, 2013
   

Cruise & Cargo Trends: Boston, Green Bay, Houston, Long Beach, Virginia

Print Print this Article | Send to Colleague

Cruiseport Boston completed its 2013 season with a record-breaking 382,885 cruise vacationers, reports the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport). The Port of Green Bay reports cargo tonnage for the year through October was up 11 percent from the comparable period of 2013. At the Port of Houston Authority, Executive Director Leonard Waterworth noted that October was a solid month for containers and steel with a decline in bulk cargo. Containerized cargo continued its upward trend at the Port of Long Beach in October, with volume rising 8.7 percent from a year ago to 576,502 TEUs. The Virginia Port Authority reports October was a record breaker for container traffic and the second best month ever for rail volumes at its marine terminals in the Port of Hampton Roads.

Boston’s Cruiseport Breaks Passenger Record

Cruiseport Boston completed its 2013 season with a record-breaking 382,885 cruise vacationers, reports the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport). That beat the previous record, set just a year ago, by 2,963 and surpassed by a hefty margin the 362,000 passengers Massport had forecast for 2013.

This year, 287,542 people embarked and disembarked at the Black Falcon Cruise Terminal. Another 95,343 passengers outside of New England visited Boston as a port of call for a day or more. The number of cruise ships that docked at the terminal this year is 116, one less than 2012. Of them, 68 started and/or ended their cruise in Boston. Another 48 cruise ships called on the Port of Boston.

The new record was accomplished with regularly schedule service. In 2012, the previous record year, the total passenger count included nearly 9,000 passengers who had their ships diverted to Boston from New York because of Superstorm Sandy. Holland America Line added an itinerary from Boston to Québec City, adding around 24,000 passengers this year. The Québec itinerary will return for the 2014 season.

The 2014 cruise season schedule has 60 ships from four different cruise lines embarking passengers from Boston and another 60 from 15 cruise lines booked for port-of-call visits, bringing what Massport estimates will be from 350,000 to 400,000. Cruiseport Boston’s Black Falcon Cruise Terminal is located just 10 minutes from the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) and Routes 1 and 93. It is also just 10 minutes from Boston Logan International Airport and downtown Boston. Cruiseport Boston offers a mix of cruises to Bermuda, Canada and New England, Europe and the Caribbean. 

Boston’s cruise history of the past 14 years is traced statistically in the attachment.

AIDAbella and Crystal Cruises Symphony at Boston’s Black Falcon Cruise Terminal on October 5.
Photo/Massport

Green Bay: October Tonnage Gets Port Back On Track

The Port of Green Bay reports cargo tonnage for the year through October was up 11 percent from the comparable period of 2013. A strong October performance offset a slight decrease in September, putting the port on track to attaining its 2013 cargo tonnage goal.

"Anything over 2 million in tonnage is a great year for us," said Port and Resource Recovery Director Dean Haen. "Our-year-to date totals put us at 1.7 million, which is good news. The port is still very active with ships arriving on a fairly regular basis, and the mild weather means there is still an opportunity to gain tonnage and hopefully reach that 2.0 million mark."

The largest increases from September to October were imported foreign salt (+165 percent) and domestic limestone receipts (+23 percent).  

Dave Nelson, president of Great Lakes Calcium, attributes the limestone upsurge to "changes in inventory and growth in our dairy cattle feed business. Our location on the port allows us to source ingredients nutritionists desire from all over the world and better meet demands."

The Great Lakes Calcium terminal at the Port of Green Bay.
Photo/Great Lakes Calcium

Houston: Port Tariffs Amended; Positive Finance, Cargo Trends Continue 

The Houston Port Commission at its meeting of November 19 reissued and amended Port of Houston Authority Tariff Nos. 8, 14, 15 and 17, covering the Turning Basin Terminals, Barbours Cut Terminal and Bayport Terminal. The commission is the governing body of the Port of Houston Authority (PHA).

The changes include tariff rate increases, effective January 1, 2014, that the port authority says are needed to support continued capital investment in its terminals "to provide efficient operations for customers and stakeholders and meet growing demand."

PHA finances and cargo forecasts remain positive, Executive Director Leonard Waterworth noted in his monthly report. October was a solid month for containers and steel, he said, with a decline in bulk cargo. Total tonnage for the month was 3.0 million tons, up 2 percent. Total tonnage for the year was 30 million tons, up 3 percent.

Container tonnage of 1.6 million tons was up 9 percent for the month. Year-to-date tonnage was 16 million tons, up 5 percent. Bulk cargo was up 14 percent year to date, at 9.3 million tons.

Operating revenue for October totaled $20 million, up $2 million or 13 percent from October 2012. Operating expenses were $14 million, up $700,000 or 5 percent. General and administrative expenses dropped 7 percent in October to $4 million. Year-to-date cash flow was $92 million, up $13 million or 17 percent year to date.

Long Beach Port Traffic Edges Up Again in October 

Containerized cargo continued its upward trend at the Port of Long Beach in October, with volume rising 8.7 percent from a year ago to 576,502 TEUs. Across the board increases were recorded by imports (+7.8 percent), exports (+6.0 percent) and empty containers (+13.6 percent). Throughput for the year totaled 5.6 million TEUs, up 13.2 percent from 4.9 million TEUs in January-October. 2012.

Business was especially strong during August through October, the traditional "peak season" as U.S. retailers stock their shelves in preparation for the holiday buying season. The port reports imports for those three months were up 14.4 percent from August-October 2012.

Click here for Long Beach’s latest monthly cargo numbers.

Virginia Port Awash in Peak-Season Cargo; October TEU Volume Sets All-Time High 

The Virginia Port Authority reports October was a record breaker for container traffic and the second best month ever for rail volumes at its marine terminals in the Port of Hampton Roads.

The October container count, 206,597 TEUs, jumped 17.8 percent from a year ago and beat the port’s previous monthly record, 205,137 TEUs set in July 2013. Increases from October 2012 were posted by imports (+24.9 percent) and exports (+12 percent). 

"The driver behind those numbers," said VPA Interim Executive Director Rodney Oliver, "is a lot of discretionary, peak-season cargo coming in and being positioned for the coming retail season. We’re grateful for the confidence that our customers and rail partners have in our ability to handle the growing volumes.

During October as well, the port authority posted increases of 19.4 percent  in containers handled by rail and 25.5 percent in containerized cargo tonnage at its Hampton Roads terminals, and 9.2 percent in box movements though its inland port in Front Royal (VA).  Click here for further detail.
 

Share Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn