North American ports

In the battle for Asia imports among US coasts, "those with capacity, including terminal, supply-chain and network capacity, are going win," according to a port executive director.

The venture's partners hope to achieve a gray pool with “interoperability” that improves equipment utilization and allows a trucker to use any chassis between any start and stop location in the port area.

The Port of Mobile is uptrending — this year it passed New Orleans to become the Gulf Coast's second-busiest container port in laden import containers.

“The question is how to pay for them.”

Seacor hopes to add second weekly sailing to funnel resin exports to New Orleans.

Concerning automation and related technological changes, even moderate productivity gains, combined with reliability and low labor costs, can be very appealing, says a marine engineer/port planner.

John LaRue headed the Corpus Christi port for 23 years; he will stay on as an adviser until he retires in June 2019.

Several port authorities told JOC’s Port Performance North America Conference on Wednesday that they take the threat very seriously.

Petrochemical producers have invested tens of billions of dollars into Gulf Coast plants that are starting to enter production and that are expected to substantially boost annual US resin exports.

Pacific Maritime Association president Jim McKenna said there is a realization among the ILWU leadership and rank and file that, “The perception of the ports, the credibility of the ports, means jobs.”

In addition to making life easier for port users regarding day-to-day operations information, the portal is also targeting predictive capabilities to enable the better allocation of resources and assets.

As vessels get bigger and cost reduction is increasingly a priority to carriers, terminal operators will be under growing pressure to make better use of the resources they have, a key global operations professional told JOC’s Port Performance North America Conference on Tuesday.

Wilmington is the first to be able to accept goods that are still midway through the refrigeration process.

US import growth is expected to slow in 2018, after an impressive increase in 2017, but the National Retail Federation adds that a recession is not on the horizon.

A closer look at contract extension talks for the US East and Gulf coasts suggests less cause for alarm.

The ports and their stakeholders are using big data and data sharing to drive process improvements for trucker appointments, chassis management, and extended gate hours.

Providing a smooth pick up and drop off of chassis is seen by port stakeholders as key to the port’s future efficiency.

Truckers who last week had complained of delays they said had stretched to several hours in some cases said the terminal now is turning around trucks in less than 90 minutes.

Drayage companies say their independent owner-operators are avoiding POMTOC.

The Port of Oakland Commission on Thursday is scheduled to take its second and final vote on the CenterPoint agreement.

With land and location, Brownsville is on the verge of attracting multibillion-dollar projects.

Ports and most warehouses escaped serious damage, but freight networks in surrounding areas weren’t so lucky.

Exports to the largest global consumer of wastepaper are in serious trouble.

US Gulf ports’ share of the nation’s container trade has been inching up for several years.

Shippers have an opportunity to argue their case against detention and demurrage.

The port said it is in negotiations with an unnamed potential operator for the new Dames Point auto terminal.

“It’s a first step, but a critical first step.”

“The future is at hand.”

East and Gulf Coast ports through October grew their import volumes at more than double the pace of West Coast ports.

Compared with the approximately 3 percent increases of recent years, 2017 was a banner year.

Now that a West Coast longshore labor contract extension is in place through mid-2022, shippers are anxious for a similar deal to ensure continued labor peace on the East and Gulf coasts.

International Longshoremen’s Association and United States Maritime Alliance officials have been exploring a long-term extension for more than two years.

North Carolina’ port hopes new Central American route will help make up volume loss after collapse of Hanjin Shipping.

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on Nov. 2 approved new zero and near-zero emission guidelines.

The 2017 Clean Air Action Plan that the ports adopted this week is an environmental document that will guide investment decisions by terminal operators and motor carriers in Southern California for the next 20 years.

Double stacking trains is more efficient than single stacking trains and increases the capacity and the economies of scale of each train.

Houston is adjusting operations and investing heavily in infrastructure to meet heightened competition for US resin exports.

The port in late 2016 teamed up with GE Transportation to develop a single window through which port users can access the information they need to carry out their roles in the supply chain.

The Charleston dredging project has proceeded quickly through a series of milestones since the corps recommended the deepening in 2010.

The ports’ sheer volume of cargo, and more importantly, the container moves per vessel call, are where the problem starts.