North American ports

The attempt to privatize the Port of Wilmington, Del., has foundered on the rocks of local port business and labor opposition.

The Port of Kalama’s commissioners have appointed Mark Wilson to serve as the Washington port’s executive director, starting April 1.

The Port of Seattle reported net operating income in 2012 was more than $223 million, which is 8 percent higher than budgeted and 3.7 percent higher than 2011’s operating profit.

Import cargo volume at the U.S.’s major retail container ports is expected to rise 2.3 percent in March compared with the same month last year, despite federal spending cuts that could slow down cargo processing...

The decision by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to cease overtime work for its personnel while Washington attempts to solve the sequestration issue will be a burden for all ports, but it could be disastrous for the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

The Los Angeles Harbor Commission has certified the final environmental impact report for the proposed Southern California International Gateway intermodal railyard, setting the stage for construction of the rail infrastructure project.

Horizon Lines will shift its Northeast U.S. port call for its Puerto Rico service from Elizabeth, N.J., to Philadelphia’s Packer Avenue Terminal.

Progress on a new inland port in Greer, S.C., planned by the South Carolina Port Authority, is moving forward, following a recent groundbreaking ceremony with more than 250 port users, stakeholders, community leaders and...

BNSF Railway CEO and Chairman Matt Rose said Monday the western railroad expects modest volume growth in 2012 but said the U.S. needs to spend more to prepare for a surge of freight growth expected over the next decade.

Ocean shippers worry that the advent of ultra-large container ships on the trans-Pacific trade will extend transit times of their imports and lead to more problems in the pickup of containers at port terminals.

U.S. importers face severe delays in getting their cargo cleared at major seaports and at the Canadian and Mexican borders because federal sequestration will reduce Customs and Border Protection manpower.

Pacific Northwest ports outpaced their southern West Coast rivals in year-over-year growth in container trade with Asia, with a 3.9 percent increase in imports, 1 percent in exports and 2.7 percent in total trade through the first 11 months of 2012.

Maryland’s Gov. Martin O’Malley reported that the Port of Baltimore’s public and private marine terminals handled a record 36.8 million tons of cargo in 2012, valued at an all-time high of $54 million.

For a second time, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has denied environmental groups’ request to block construction on the Port Mackenzie Rail Extension, a 32-mile rail link connecting the main line of the Alaska Railroad with...

The Port of Los Angeles has named Janna Sidley as general counsel, effective March 4.

The Jacksonville Port Authority board of directors has voted unanimously to inform the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that Jaxport will pursue a harbor deepening project by supplying additional local investment.

Port of Tacoma reported container volume in January rose 36 percent year-over-year from 109,170 20-foot-equivalent units in 2012 to 148,707 TEUs in 2013.

The Port of Los Angeles has released a draft port master plan for public review and input through April 8.

After building the nation’s largest terminals and dredging the deepest harbors, West Coast ports are facing a problem they are not used to — overcapacity.

The Port of San Diego is planning its next steps for shore power at Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal.

The Los Angeles Harbor Commission has approved a resolution initiating an environmental impact statement and report on a proposed berth and wharf improvement project by Yusen Terminals.

An aging population in the U.S., a shift in manufacturing from China to Southeast Asia and Mexico, and competition from ports on the East Coast and Canada’s Pacific Coast are forcing West Coast ports to become more efficient in order to protect their cargo base.

The Port of Mobile is positioning itself to become a gateway for Gulf Coast container traffic to and from the U.S. Midwest and mid-South in the next two years as it starts construction this year on a $36 million intermodal container transfer facility next to its main container terminal.

The South Carolina Ports Authority reported that the Port of Charleston’s container volume was 121,286 20-foot-equivalent units in January, rising 7.7 percent year-over-year.

A combination of public and private investment has added container-handling capacity, infrastructure and processing facilities in the Gulf region, enabling the Port of New Orleans to lure so much container and breakbulk traffic away from Houston, its Texas neighbor, that it’s forecasting a second year of record volumes.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has signed a strategic partnership agreement with the Arkansas Oklahoma Port Operators Association to ensure the continued viability of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River...

The Port of Virginia handled 158,766 20-foot-equivalent units in January, increasing 4,466 TEUs or 2.9 percent from 154,300 in January 2012.

The port truck replacement program run by the South Carolina Ports Authority has received $145,000 in additional federal grant funding to help further reduce air emissions across the Charleston area.

Sinomax USA has chosen South Carolina’s Port of Charleston to handle its East Coast operations.

The Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex began 2013 with a strong showing as the total container volume increased 5 percent over January 2012.

Port Corpus Christi in Texas has promoted Ruben C. Medina to director of business development, under the supervision of the deputy port director of operations and business development.

U.S. District Judge Ralph Beistline has denied environmental groups’ request to block construction on the Port Mackenzie Rail Extension, a 32-mile link from the mainline of the Alaska Railroad...

The Port of Philadelphia handled 4.4 million metric tons of cargo in 2012, a 10.4 percent increase compared with 4.0 million metric tons handled in 2011.

The Port of Seattle commission has announced the finalists for the commission vacancy.

Louisiana’s Gov. Bobby Jindal has appointed Robert “Rusty” Barkerding Jr. as the newest member of the Port of New Orleans’ board of commissioners.