Cargo Trends: Boston, U.S. Great Lakes, San Pedro, Virginia

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Container traffic at Massport’s Conley Terminal in the Port of Boston hit a six-year high during the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2014. U.S. ports across the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System experienced tonnage increases tonnage in several cargo categories during June. The San Pedro Harbor ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles together handled container volumes totaling nearly 1.5 million TEUs in June, an increase of 11.1 percent from a year ago. Container movements at the Port of Virginia reached a record 2,305,911 TEUs during FY 2013-2014.

Boston: Conley Terminal Container Traffic at Six-Year High 

The Massachusetts Port Authority reports container traffic at Conley Terminal in the Port of Boston hit a six-year high of 204,951 TEUs during the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2014, an increase of 6.3 percent from FY 2012-2013. Loaded containers accounted for 84 percent of the FY 2013-2014 total, up 8 percent from the prior year.

Each of the terminal’s three weekly services experienced year-on-year gains – 14 percent for the Asian service operated by CKYHE (COSCO, K Line, Yang Ming, Hanjin, Evergreen) and 5 percent and 1 percent, respectively, for Mediterranean Shipping Co.’s Mediterranean and North Europe services operated.

Approximately one container was exported for every 1.5 containers imported via the facility. Top imports included machinery/electronics, beer/wine, seafood, furniture and footwear. Leading exports were paper/waste paper, scrap metal, hides/skins/furs, plastics and seafood.

According to Massport, maritime related activities in the Port of Boston support more than 50,000 jobs and generate an economic impact amounting to $4.6 billion.

Salt, Chemicals & Steel Tonnage Up in U.S. Great Lakes

U.S. ports across the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway system experienced tonnage gains in several cargo categories during the month of June.

"Salt, chemicals, and steel all posted excellent tonnage numbers through June when compared to last year’s figures," said Rebecca Spruill, director of trade development for the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation."Our U.S. ports are encouraged by the increase in traffic, most notably salt, registering a double digit percentage increase and dry chemicals which saw a threefold tonnage increase."

The Port of Cleveland is off to an outstanding start to the 2014 shipping season."Our international tonnage is up approximately 23 percent through June compared to 2013. In addition, the Cleveland-Europe Express, our new liner service between the Port of Cleveland and the Port of Antwerp that started in April, more than doubled our revenue in June compared to both April and May," said David Gutheil, the port authority’s vice president of maritime and logistics.

"Industry spirits were buoyed by strong gains in cargo movements during the month of June," noted Vanta Coda, executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. "Coal and iron ore tonnages were up by 16 and 7 percent respectively over May.And, both commodities were running ahead of where they stood a year ago – coal up 17 percent in June 2014 and iron ore up nearly 48 percent compared to the same month’s totals in 2013."

Shipments at the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor jumped by more than 40 percent from the previous year, driven primarily by steel-related cargoes that more than doubled the 2013 mid-year totals. Through June, the port handled significant increases in steel (up 130 percent), grain (up 70 percent), limestone (up 25 percent), and minerals (up 20 percent). "The increases are certainly a good sign for the regional economy, especially in the manufacturing sector," said Port Director Rick Heimann.

"Despite this year's late start due to ice conditions, we have managed to catch and surpass last year's tonnage total," said Joe Cappel, director of cargo development for the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority."The surge in May and June can be attributed to more coal, general cargo and dry bulk shipments moving through Toledo. So far this year we have seen more overseas traffic than in previous years."

"The Port of Oswego has accepted shipments of approximately 16,000 metric tons of aluminum in June contributing toward a year record projected to be 100,000 tons in 2014," said Port Executive Director Zelko Kirincich. "The growth of the Novelis automotive business has continued to fuel the growth of aluminum shipments through the Seaway System contributing to the diversity of the port’s cargo base."

June cargo at the Port of Green Bay rose 28 percent from a year ago to 350,654 metric tons. "June’s increase is helping to close the gap on year-to-date numbers, which are now only 4 percent below last year’s mark," said Dean Haen, director of Brown County Port and Resource Recovery Department. "The biggest jump was the shipment of limestone, which increased by 63 percent to 147,072 metric tons compared to 2013."

San Pedro Ports Container Volume Jumps 11% in June

The San Pedro Harbor ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles together handled container volumes totaling nearly 1.5 million TEUs in June, an increase of 11.1 percent from a year ago. The June data reflect year-on-year increases of 12.9 percent for inbound loads, 6.7 percent for outbound loads, and 11.6 percent for empty container movements. That brought first half 2014 volume year at America’s largest container handling complex to a seven-year high of just over 7.4 million TEUs and an increase from January-June 2013 of 5.9 percent. Click here for details.

Virginia Cargo Sets Record in Fiscal 2014, June Volumes Up 6.5 Percent

Container movements at the Port of Virginia reached a record high 2,305,911 TEUs during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014. That was up 6.5 percent from the previous record, set just a year ago, according to data reported by the Virginia Port Authority.

In June alone, the port handled 186,403 TEUs, a 6.0 percent improvement from June 2013. During June as well, the port posted increases in rail containers ( 12.1 percent), Virginia Inland Port containers ( 102.8 percent), barged containers ( 19.8 percent) truck containers ( 1.6 percent), ship calls ( 1.3 percent) and vehicle units ( 122.9 percent). Click here for detailed monthly and fiscal year data summaries.

Improving cargo conveyance systems, a restructuring of the relationship between VPA and its private terminal operating subsidiary, Virginia International Terminals LLC, creation of a task force to address the concerns of motor carriers serving the port and implementation of state-of-the-art technology at Norfolk International Terminals were among the port’s accomplishments in fiscal 2014.

"The fiscal year has been one of positive change at multiple levels which is allowing us to focus on sustained growth and profitability," said John F. Reinhart, the port authority’s CEO and executive director. "The organization is going to continue to evolve and that will make The Port of Virginia more responsive, more competitive, which ultimately will drive growth supported by timely, measured expansion."