Ports

The International Longshoremen’s Association should be able to sue ocean carriers that do not abide by work preservation rules, according to several briefs filed in support of the union’s dispute involving jobs at the Port of Charleston’s new terminal.

The growth in participation in FLOW is a signal that the private sector views the voluntary nature of the project as more amenable than governmental data-sharing mandates or legislation.

Unlike last year, when apparel importers front-loaded volumes in the first half, apparel shippers are waiting for more clarity on consumer spending before they bring back-to-school and holiday inventory into the US.

The influx of new drivers to the New York-New Jersey port helped it handle record volumes in 2022, but the downturn means less work and possibly more turnover.

US imports of beer, wine and spirits could have been even stronger over the last two years if not for widespread supply chain disruptions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The decision by ocean carriers to not charge per diem fees when gates are closed will result in money remaining in the pockets of importers and exporters rather than flowing to carriers and terminal operators — and anyone who thought that would happen without a fight is dreaming, writes Peter Tirschwell.

The change comes in advance of the FMC’s final rule on detention and demurrage billing that is due to be published in mid-June and has already generated pushback from marine terminal operators.

Toy and game manufacturers front-loaded traditional holiday merchandise in 2022, resulting in an exceptional first half of the year followed by a weak fourth quarter that coincided with a broader decline in consumer spending.

One might expect that Western Canadian ports have benefited from cargo bound for the US Midwest being diverted from the US West Coast to avoid potential labor disruption, but that has not been the case, notes analyst Larry Gross.

Last year’s dip in electronics imports is a sign that US consumers were holding back on some discretionary purchases after two years of heightened spending during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nearly three years of record Asia imports tested Savannah’s cargo flow at times, underscoring the port’s need to ensure it had sufficient buffer capacity to handle growth.

Consumer spending in the coming months will be compromised somewhat by high inflation, while retailers are being conservative in placing purchase orders with factories in Asia because of bloated inventories, according to the Global Port Tracker.

Obtaining all required governmental approvals and choosing a contractor and operator is likely to push the opening of Vancouver’s Roberts Bank Terminal 2 into the early 2030s.

Better vessel reliability helped fuel a return to growth in US agriculture exports in the second half of 2022, but those green shoots could be ripped up at the root if service doesn’t continue to improve.

Logistics and industrial investment in the Asia-Pacific region was estimated at about $50 billion last year, down from a record $72 billion in 2021.

The rule changes will not have much of an initial cost impact on shippers as almost all New York-New Jersey terminals are closed on weekends and holidays, thereby not counting toward free time, and containers are now moving off the port faster.

CBRE’s latest figures on industrial real estate demand show the supply of new and existing warehouses grew faster than tenant demand, with vacancy spikes expected through 2023.

Activity at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach has a direct impact on the domestic intermodal market, large intermodal providers say, which is why rail volumes were so poor in the first quarter.

An agreement on manning requirements at conventional terminals at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach could open the door for a deal on a tentative coastwide contract in the next couple of weeks, sources say.

The Port of Houston is changing its tariff to align with ocean carriers who are no longer charging detention and demurrage fees when terminal gates are closed, but it’s also increasing its own fees to incentivize cargo movement.