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January 28, 2014 |
Port Cargo Trends: Los Angeles, Saint John, Tacoma, Virginia
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The Port of Los Angeles reports container volumes at its facilities jumped 11.1 percent in December to 653,358 TEUs from 588,154 TEUs in December 2012. The Saint John Port Authority reports its terminals handled a record 497,000 metric tons of containerized cargo in 2013, up 59 percent from 312,000 tons in 2012. The Port of Tacoma handled 1.89 million TEUs, moving closer to the 2-million-TEU container cargo mark it first reached in 2005. The Virginia Port Authority reports record volumes of containers and rail cargo moved through its terminals during calendar year 2013.
Los Angeles December Container Volumes Increase 11%, Year-End Total Nearly 7.9 Million TEUs
Los Angeles December Container Volumes Increase 11%, Year-End Total Nearly 7.9 Million TEUs
The Port of Los Angeles reports container volumes at its facilities jumped 11.1 percent in December to 653,358 TEUs from 588,154 TEUs in December 2012. Across-the-board increases were posted by loaded containers inbound ( 8.6 percent) and outbound ( 16.9 percent) as well as empties ( 10.2 percent). The port says the increase was in part due to shippers moving cargo in advance of the Chinese New Year, which this year falls on January 31.
The calendar year total of almost 7.9 million TEUs was down 2.6 percent from the roughly 8.1 million TEUs handled in 2012. Current and past data container counts for the Port of Los Angeles may be found at: http://www.portoflosangeles.org/maritime/stats.asp
Saint John Containerized Cargo Up 59% in 2013
The Saint John Port Authority reports its terminals handled a record 497,000 metric tons of containerized cargo in 2013, up 59 percent from 312,000 tons in 2012. Container transfers also skyrocketed, from 50,672 to 76,672 TEUs.
It was Mediterranean Shipping Company’s first full-year of calling Port Saint John. Further impetus came in October, when Hapag-Lloyd began offering service to Saint John through the port’s longtime ocean carrier client Tropical Shipping.
"Our increase in container tonnage speaks to the confidence these shipping lines have put in our port and for good reason," said Jim Quinn, the port authority’s president and CEO. "Our port team and network of stakeholders work to give local shippers and receivers more options, boosting the province’s economy as a result. These numbers speak to our positive growth and potential as a port."
Tacoma Containers End 2013 Near 2-Million-TEU Mark
The Port of Tacoma handled 1.89 million TEUs, moving closer to the 2-million-TEU container cargo mark it first reached in 2005. Double-digit growth in imports and exports, along with 16 percent more vessel calls, contributed to the 10.5 percent gain. Full containerized exports improved nearly 16 percent to 529,255 TEUs, and imports were up 14 percent to 695,748 TEUs.
Growth in 2013 import container volumes continues to reflect the addition of the Grand Alliance shipping consortium midway through 2012. While people have begun buying homes and goods again, consumer confidence remains low and spending remains below pre-recession levels.
Intermodal lifts mirrored the growing container volumes, posting a nearly 11 percent gain on the year. Auto imports and log exports also performed well in 2013, improving 8 percent and 17 percent respectively.
Meanwhile, breakbulk cargo volumes finished the year down 21 percent. The decline was expected as cargo volumes moderate following two years of record-breaking volumes.
Grain exports also declined 43 percent in 2013, impacted by increased competition from South America and severe weather conditions in the U.S. Midwest. Grain exports through Tacoma improved significantly through the fourth quarter of 2013, hinting at a rebound.
Click here for statistical details.
Virginia Container Traffic Hits Record High in 2013
The Virginia Port Authority reports record volumes of containers and rail cargo moved through its terminals during calendar year 2013. Container throughput reached an all-time high of 2,223,532 TEUs, exceeding the prior year total by 5.6 percent and beating the previous record, set in 2007, by 95,166 TEUs. Containerized cargo also set a record, up 7.9 percent from 2012 to just over 18.5 million short tons.
A busy day at Norfolk International Terminals.
Photo/Virginia Port Authority
"We were incredibly productive in all facets of our operation," said Rodney W. Oliver, PPM®, the VPA’s interim executive director. "The year’s production is a testament to hard work and getting back to focusing upon the core mission of moving cargo. Our growth in 2013 was 5.6 percent and that is in addition to the 9.8 percent growth we achieved in 2012. These totals demonstrate that there is a lot of confidence in the Port of Virginia."
The port’s rail operation was tested in 2013, having handled 430,894 containers, up 11.7 percent from 2012.
"The port has experienced double-digit rail growth in 11 of the last 14 months," Mr. Oliver noted. "We finished 2013 with rail cargo representing 34 percent of the port’s total container traffic, which, on a calendar-year basis, is the highest percentage in the port’s history."
Details on Virginia’s port traffic for 2013 and 2012 are provided by the attachment.
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