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Cargo Operations: Duluth-Superior, San Diego, Tampa Bay

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Duluth-Superior Welcomes First ‘Saltie’ of 2015 

The Port of Duluth-Superior welcomed its very first oceangoing ship, or ‘saltie,’ of the 2015 commercial shipping season on April 13. 

The Kom sailed beneath Duluth’s Aerial Bridge at 12:12 p.m. and on to the Superior side of the harbor to load at two terminals – Gavilon Grain and CHS. 

The 465-foot bulk carrier, which flies the flag of Malta, began this voyage in the Spanish port of LaCoruna. While in the Twin Ports, it loaded 12,100 metric tons of durum wheat for export to Italy and milling into flour for pasta making.

The Kom is under the command of Captain Mariyan Yotov. Local vessel agent is Guthrie Hubner. Stevedoring was handled by Ceres Terminals and tug assists by Great Lakes Towing Co. 

The ports’ latest first saltie arrival on record occurred last year, on May 7, 2014 (due to ice conditions). The earliest, ironically, on record happened just one year earlier, on March 30, 2013.  

"The arrival of the first saltie each year is a tangible reminder for residents and tourists alike that the Port of Duluth-Superior is an international seaport," said Duluth Seaway Port Authority Executive Director Vanta Coda. "Situated over 2,300 miles inland, it anchors the westernmost edge of this nation’s fourth seacoast – the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway – which links the heartland of North America to markets in Europe, the Mediterranean and North Africa. This binational waterway enables farmers from the Upper Midwest – as well as shippers of project cargo, iron ore and coal – to compete in the global marketplace." 

San Diego Works ‘Happy Dynamic’ Vessel Carrying Ship Components

The Biglift Shipping vessel Happy Dynamic called at the Port of San Diego's Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal this month with a load of specialty cargo to be used by a local shipbuilder. The ship arrived April 2 and departed April 8.

Happy Dynamic is a heavy lift vessel, capable of handling heavy and oversized items and other specialized equipment with 800-ton-capacity onboard cranes in tandem lift (two cranes, each of 400-metric-ton capacity), as well as another 120-metric-ton crane. The vessel offloaded 2,800 tons of shipbuilding materials from Masan, South Korea, including engine components, a propeller and steel. The cargo will be used by a major San Diego employer, General Dynamics NASSCO, which is constructing a series of LNG-powered container vessels and eco-tankers for domestic cargo markets.

The Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal specialized in non-containerized cargo, including high, wide and heavy cargos. 

"The port's marine cargo terminals are an essential part of San Diego's regional economy, serving as a gateway for both imports and exports," said its maritime director, Joel Valenzuela, PPM. "It is especially gratifying to be such an integral part of the supply chain that supports our local waterfront business partners."

Cargo handling operations and coordination on the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal were provided by SSA Marine, Yowell International, Pacific Tugboat Services and Terminalift. Mathiesen Maritime Service serves as agent for the carrier. Terminalift uses environmentally friendly electric-powered equipment, which helps reduce air emissions.

"The Port of San Diego is committed to environmentally responsible maritime operations," said Valenzuela. "Being able to use advanced, clean cargo handling equipment to transport materials that will become some of the greenest cargo vessels in the world demonstrates how the industry's environmental initiatives are having a real and positive impact."

Port tenant General Dynamics NASSCO specializes in the design and construction of auxiliary and support ships for the U.S. Navy and oil tankers and dry cargo carriers for commercial markets. In April, the company will launch the world's first LNG-powered containership.

Port Tampa Bay receives shipment of new Embraer aircraft components from Brazil

Tampa Bay was the port of discharge recently of aircraft components manufactured in Brazil and destined for Embraer’s Executive jet assembly plant in Melbourne (FL).

The assemblies arrived in Tampa on March 18 from the Port of Santos aboard a vessel operating in NYK Ro/Ro’s North-South Service. It was the Tampa inaugural call for the NYK service which also calls ports calls in Brazil, Mexico, Aruba, Venezuela, Curacao and Argentina.  NYK RoRo is a division of Tokyo-based NYK Line.  

Stevedoring and terminal handling were provided by Ports America.

Embraer’s Executive Jets Campus is part of Embraer S.A., a manufacturer of commercial and business jets headquartered in São José dos Campos, Brazil. The Melbourne facility manufactures the Phenom 100E and Phenom 300, and is slated to begin manufacturing the Legacy 450 and Legacy 500 aircraft in 2016. The aircraft components, produced in Brazil, will be used in the final assembly of Embraer’s executive jets.

"We are excited to work with a successful global leader like Embraer. They continue to lead the way throughout the world and specifically here in Central Florida, with their ever-growing and industry leading executive jet manufacturing facility," said Port President Paul Anderson. "Port Tampa Bay has had the trust of many global companies with the handling of specialty project cargoes such as these components, and we look forward to providing critical logistics services for Embraer for years to come."
 

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