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Port Cargo Statistics: Global Port Tracker, Long Beach/Los Angeles, Seaway/Great Lakes. Virginia

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San Pedro Ports Box Traffic Up 6.8% in July

The San Pedro Harbor ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles together handled container volumes totaling nearly 1.9 million TEUs in July, an increase of 6.4 percent from the preceding month and 6.8 compared to July 2014. In detail, the data show gains from a year ago of 5.4 percent for inbound loads, 17.2 percent for empty containers, and a decrease of 2.5 percent for outbound loads. That brought year-to-date throughput at America’s largest container handling complex to nearly 8.6 million TEUs, down just 0.2 percent from approximately 8.7 million TEUs in January-July. View the PDF for additional detail. 
 
Port Tracker: Imports Up as Retailers Look Toward Holiday Season
 
Import volume at America’s leading containerized retail cargo handling ports is expected to increase 3.6 percent this month from a year ago as retailers begin to bring in merchandise for the holiday season, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released August 7 by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates. Imports for the year are expected to be up 4.2 percent from 2014. 

Global Port Tracker’s conclusions are based on its survey and analysis of inbound container traffic flows at the ports of Charleston, Hampton Roads, Houston, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Oakland, Port Everglades, Savannah, and Seattle/Tacoma. 

"Consumers might be out buying back-to-school supplies, but toys and sweaters are starting to show up on the docks," NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. "There are still some lingering congestion issues but retailers are working with their supply chain partners to make sure all of that merchandise flows smoothly to store shelves." 

Ports covered by Global Port Tracker handled 1.57 million TEUs, the latest month for which after-the-fact numbers are available. That was down 2.5 percent from an unusually busy May but up 6.2 percent from June 2014.

July is estimated at 1.59 million TEU, up 6 percent from July 2014. Subsequent month forecasts: August – 1.57 million TEUs ( 3.6 percent); September – 1.59 million TEU (-0.1 percent); October – 1.58 million TEUs ( up 1.2 percent); November – 1.45 million TEUs ( 4.5 percent); and December – 1.4 million TEUs (-2.8 percent). The forecast year-end total stands now at 18 million TEUs, an increase of 4.2 percent from CY 2014. The first half 2015 total of 8.9 million TEUs was up 6.5 percent from a year ago, according to Global Port Tracker. 

According to Hackett Associates Founder Ben Hackett, some retailers are paying less to transport their merchandise this year, thanks to the use of more large-capacity ships by ocean carriers. The increased capacity has driven down rates. He warns, however, that relief could be short-lived because some lines have already canceled voyages to counteract the trend. "We are seeing complete chaos on the high seas in terms of the amount of capacity available and the level of spot freight rates," Mr. Hackett said. "One has to wonder why carriers cannot match supply to demand. The end result will likely be a highly volatile situation of freight rates moving up and down."

Diverse Seaway Cargoes Keep U.S. Ports Bustling in July

St. Lawrence Seaway traffic fluctuated across the various categories, but U.S. ports handled a wide range of cargoes in July.   

"It was a solid month for our U.S. Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System ports with more ships entering the Seaway System with aluminum, iron ore and salt," said Betty Sutton, administrator of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation. Also notable was the increase in containers to Cleveland, wind turbines to Monroe, and grain exports from Duluth/Superior. 

"Short sea shipping is alive and well at the Port of Toledo," said Joe Cappel, vice president of business development for the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. In the month of July, more than 22,000 tons of aluminum and steel were shipped into the port via barges from Canada. "Much of this break bulk cargo used to find its way to our area via long haul cross-border truck routes, now more processors and manufacturers are taking advantage of marine transportation to bring goods to our region."

The Port of Monroe worked a European vessel for the first time since the 1960s, the M/V Faglegracht of Spliethoff Lines delivering wind blades and natural gas pipeline sections from Germany. The pipe sections are destined for the Rover Pipeline project, a large portion of which will now be staged at the port. "This development is proof positive that port activity and cargo movement breed new and subsequent opportunities," said Port Director Paul C. LaMarre III. Less than two weeks thereafter, the same carrier’s M/V Florijingracht was loaded with wind blades and the first container ever to transit Monroe’s docks.

"Tonnage moving through the Port of Cleveland continues to substantially exceed 2014 levels," said David Gutheil, vice president/maritime and logistics. "July was another strong month in our traditional steel sector, which includes steel coils, pipe, and wire rod. The Cleveland-Europe Express [CEE] service has also continued its momentum. Containerized cargo has increased by more than 300 percent compared to 2014, and we continue to receive positive feedback from customers who have traditionally used coastal ports, but now have transitioned their cargo to the CEE."  

The Port of Oswego received two McKeil Marine barges carrying a total of nearly 20,000 metric tons of aluminum in July. "We continue to stay on target for another record year in aluminum shipments," said Port Authority CEO Zelko Kirincich.

As for the Seaway itself, cargo transits for the period April 2 to July 31 totaled 14.5 million metric tons, down 7.4 percent from the comparable period of in 2014. U.S. grain shipments jumped 63 percent. The dry bulk category was up 10 percent, with gains for potash and gypsum of 170 and 36 percent, respectively. On the down side were general cargo (-8 percent), iron ore (-8 percent), coal (-38 percent) and liquid bulk (-3 percent). 

Virginia Port Begins Fiscal 2016 with Strong Container Traffic Gains

The Port of Virginia reports container volume for July, the first month of its fiscal year 2016, totaled 225,988 TEUs, an increase from last year of 8.8 percent and the fifth consecutive month of TEU volume exceeding 210,000 units. That brought the calendar year total to date to 1,479,705 TEUs, a 10.1 percent increase from January-July 2014.
 
Truck volume grew by 6.3 percent, rail volume by 15.0 percent (the second highest month ever at the port for total rail containers) and containerized cargo tonnage by 40.2 percent, according to the port’s data. 

"At our terminals, we are beginning to process the volumes associated with the coming retail season, and we anticipate this trend continuing through November," said John F. Reinhart, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority. "We are focused on continuing to refine our operation, delivering consistent service at the gates and moving forward on the capital spending plan for fiscal year 2016." 

The port started work on the first of those capital projects on July 22, when it hosted U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, Gov. Terry N. McAuliffe and Virginia Transportation Secretary Aubrey L. Layne for a ceremonial groundbreaking on the expansion of the North Gate at Norfolk International Terminals. Secretary Foxx and the governor also broke ground on the I-564 Intermodal Connector during the same ceremony. Combined, the projects will increase truck velocity through NIT’s north gate, remove a significant amount of daily truck traffic from Norfolk city streets and provide motor carriers with direct, safe access to Interstate 564. 

The port is also executing short and long-term plans to upgrade each of its marine terminals and its inland facilities. Moreover, it is investing in personnel and technology in order to improve service and build capacity for what it expects are continued increases in volume. 

"We anticipate the growth in TEU, rail and truck volumes to continue," Mr. Reinhart said. "Last year’s peak season presented several significant challenges and we learned a lot in that period. From that experience, we are in stronger position to strategically act to handle volume and build velocity with consistent service."
 

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