The February 2024 edition of Trade Currents Navigator, a report focusing on trade analysis and monthly forecasts, highlights top containerized commodities affecting ports’ trade volumes. The report addresses containerized trade trends and forecasts through the first quarter of 2025, including:

In monitoring U.S. container trade, attention is often narrowly focused on the total number of containers (in TEUs) that are handled by ports and inland transportation providers. The number of TEUs is a valuable aggregate measure that can be compared across all U.S. ports, as well as over time, and is the key driver of revenue at container terminals and ports. As such, total TEUs is an important indicator of port performance, an input to short-term operational planning, and a factor in longer-term capacity development and capital investment in ports and inland infrastructure.

Tracking containerized commodities can be very helpful to port operations. These trends translate to different equipment needs. Differences in container types and sizes are critically important to shippers and transportation providers to support specific supply chains and in balancing the flow of containers to meet market needs. An important example is providing U.S. exporters with containers where they are needed, e.g. in agricultural production regions. At the most basic level, how to recycle empty containers back to overseas locations to maintain the global flow of goods is an important logistics issue.

Join AAPA on February 29 at 2:00 p.m. ET for virtual networking with port industry peers from around the Western Hemisphere. Networking Thursdays is a 60-minute forum held each month to help AAPA members grow their professional connections. Networking Thursdays is an opportunity for you to expand your national and international network even more. Register now for the February 29 session.

AAPA has released a statement in response to the Biden Administration’s Cybersecurity policy initiatives.

 

“America’s ports work closely with our federal partners to maintain the highest possible standards of physical and cybersecurity,” stated Cary Davis, AAPA President and CEO. “We welcome and applaud President Biden’s actions which further empower the Coast Guard to keep our ports safe along with the Administration’s efforts to build out domestic manufacturing capacity for key equipment.”

 

The maritime industry is ready and willing to incentivize domestic manufacturing to build port equipment in the United States. AAPA has already

The Port of Los Angeles will host a site tour of one of its recently upgraded air quality monitoring stations on February 23, allowing stakeholders access to air monitoring equipment. The tour was originally scheduled at an earlier date but has been changed due to the possibility of heavy rain.

The Port of San Diego has approved $2.2 million for the next phase of the Harbor Drive 2.0 and Vesta Bridge projects. Harbor Drive 2.0 will improve Harbor Drive between the port’s two cargo terminals by creating a better truck route for more efficient maritime cargo handling, enhance pedestrian and transit connections, and improve air quality.

Cargo moved by rail at the Port of Savannah reached 47,132 containers in January, an increase of 10,000 boxes, or 27%. Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) handled 428,000 TEUs in January, an increase of 6,300 containers, or 1.5% compared to the same month last year. The Port of Oakland ranks number one by TEU volume in refrigerated (reefer) export trade among U.S. ports. The port has ranked first in international reefer export TEU’s for seven consecutive years. The total commercial value of reefer exports through Oakland reached $7.1 billion in 2023.

The Port of Corpus Christi has launched a new public information portal as part of its ongoing commitment to transparency and accountability, making available a multitude of new tools that will improve accessibility to information for requestors. In partnership with CivicPlus, the Port of Corpus Christi is rolling out the new NextRequest for Public Information Requests portal effective today.

PortMiami has been named “Best North American Port” by Spain’s Premios Cruceroadicto (Cruise Addict Awards) for the second year in a row. Cruceroadicto Magazine readers and more than 26,000 Cruisers Club members voted for the awards.

The Port of Oakland in partnership with the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce held the first-ever Oakland environmental symposium. The event brought together maritime, aviation, commercial real estate, environmental, business, government and community leaders to collaborate on innovative zero-emissions solutions.

The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) welcomed the first intermodal rail connection with Tri Cities Intermodal to the Puget Sound gateway. This new intermodal service marks the latest milestone in the NWSA’s Inland Rail Hub Strategic Initiative.

The Duluth Seaway Port Authority recently hired Jeff Udd as its director of government and environmental affairs. A Duluthian, Udd worked most recently for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency as manager of its water and mining section. Erik Gerking has been promoted to serve as the new Chief of Planning & Development for the Port of Everett – a new role responsible for leading the implementation of port development, long-range planning and environmental efforts. The Port of Oakland announced the appointment of new Maritime Marketing Manager Carolyn Almquist. Almquist joins the Port of Oakland after 25 years with American President Lines (APL), a subsidiary of the CMA CGM Group. The South Jersey Port Corporation proudly welcomes Richard F. Altomare to its team as the newly appointed General Manager for Security, Public Safety, and Emergency Management and Facility Security Officer. As the former head of the TSA’s Federal Air Marshal Service in Philadelphia, Altomare brings a wealth of law enforcement expertise and decades of experience to his new role.

Liebherr Container Cranes Ltd. is partnering with Rijeka Gateway to supply the terminal with remote control yard cranes. As part of this landmark project, Liebherr will supply the terminal with 15 electric rubber tire gantry cranes (ERTGs) and two rail mounted gantry cranes (RMG).

Chief Administrative & Financial Officer, Everett, WA; Port of Everett