PORT STATE CONTROL Archives

Bringing to an end a surge in cargo seen in the latter half of 2021 through to July 2022 the Port of LA handled an estimated 806,000 teu in August this year, 15% lower than the same period last year.

A gateway for US imports the Port of LA saw a 17% drop in loaded imports 404,000 teu in August, while loaded exports decreased 1% to 100,000 teu, compared to August 2021. The volume of empty containers handled declined by 18% to 301,000 teu.

It was a different picture at the Port of Long Beach where volumes handled were buoyed by empties but also the fall in imports was less dramatic. Long Beach handled 860,940 teu in August, down just 0.1% on the same month in 2021.

Imports at the Port of Long Beach were down 5.6% to 384,530 teu and exports increased 1.6% to 121,408 teu. Empty containers helped push volumes as a whole and increased 7.2% to 301,001 teu.

The sharp drop in loaded imports at the Port of LA comes at a time when traditional volumes ramp up ahead of the peak holiday season.

“Some goods that usually arrive in August the for the fall and winter season shipped earlier to make sure they reached their destination in time,” Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said at a news briefing. “Additionally, inflationary concerns and elevated inventory levels have made some retailers and e-commerce sellers more cautious.”

Carriers and shippers have also sought to reroute volumes away from US West Coast ports due to the possibility of a labour strike members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU). This has resulted in a build-up of congestion at US East Coast ports.

The possible threat of a strike remains as negotiations between ILWU), and the port terminals, represented by the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) continue. Although the existing contract expired on 30 June both sides have committed to maintaining service levels while negotiations continue.

Meanwhile Seroka repeated statements from a month earlier about spare capacity at the Port of LA’s terminals. “We’ve got capacity on our terminals and the ability to handle cargo coming in more efficiently than last holiday season.”

Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero, said, “We are collaborating with stakeholders to provide more information, more space and more flexibility across the supply chain.

A co-operation agreement between The Ashdod Port Company and Port of Barcelona aims to promote Israeli innovation in Europe. Under the agreement, Israeli start-ups from Port of Ashdod’s incubator that successfully complete a pilot programme at the port of Ashdod will be able to conduct a pilot programme at the Port of Barcelona.

“The start-ups will benefit from field conditions in which they can implement their developments, will be accompanied by an innovation agent acting on behalf of the port, alongside the expansion of business and technological opportunities in the Port of Barcelona, one of the largest ports in Europe,” said Ashdod Port Company.

The Barcelona scheme follows a similar arrangement with the port of Newark in the US, where five Port of Ashdod incubator start-ups have launched pilot programmes.

A delegation from the Ashdod Port Company went to Barcelona on September 12 and was led by the Chairlady of the Board of Directors, Orna Hozman Bechor. The participating start-ups in the delegation included:

CYBER 2.0, which has developed technology to prevent the spread of cyberattacks within the corporate network
CYBERVIEW, which has developed an ongoing and effective information security management platform
Airwayz, which is responsible for an operating system that controls a fleet of drones and enables effective supervision
EnWize, which developed augmented and virtual reality technology for training operations teams, which helps to prevent mistakes and create a safe work environment are also part of the delegation.
Captain’s Eye, which offers a network of advanced cameras and image processing that help identify and quickly deal with accidents and security threats

According to Orna Hozman Bechor: “Our technology incubator has a great deal to offer in order to make the world of shipping and ports more efficient, from the field of logistics and transportation to control systems and green energy”

The technology incubator was established in 2021 and has since accompanied over 60 start-ups in various fields, including operations, logistics, cyber protection, and safety, said the port.

Ashdod Port’s Board of Directors recently announced an investment of around NIS 4.5m ($1.3m) in four of the incubator’s start-ups, incorporating the technologies into the port’s work through purchases and royalty agreements.

“Expanding the activity of the start-ups to leading ports around the world is an important milestone for reinforcing the international, technological, and economic connections of the start-ups and their ventures, as well as of the Port of Ashdod and the entire State of Israel as the start-up nation”, said Bechor.

“As Israel’s national port, we are proud to nurture the spread of Israeli innovation overseas.”

The President of the Port of Barcelona, Damia Calvet, said: “At the Port of Barcelona we are convinced that we must welcome the arrival of innovation and new technologies. Tools such as big data, blockchain, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things will allow us to become more efficient and improve our sustainability and competitiveness.

“The Mediterranean Sea has suitable conditions for the development of a network of smart ports. Through digital transformation and hosting incubators of innovation in the ports, we will be able to increase growth and employ more workers.”

Export container volume declined 2.2% while the domestic volume increased 17.4%. The ports of Dalian, Tianjin, Qingdao and Ningbo-Zhoushan all posted a growth rate of over 10%.

Cargo throughput at major coastal hub ports also dropped 2.4%. The international trade cargo throughput declined 3.7% while domestic volume fell 1.23%.

Crude oil shipments at major coastal ports up 5.6% year-on-year. Among which the port of Qingdao and Yantai from Shandong province posted a growth rate of over 20%.

Metal ore shipments at major Chinese ports increased 6.8% while the port inventory grew 24.36%.

Cargo throughput at three major Yangtze River ports, Nanjing, Wuhan and Chongqing achieved positive growth in late August, slightly increased 2% and 4.9% year-on-year.

For the whole month of August, container volume at eight major coastal ports increased 3.3% while the cargo throughput of hub ports grew 0.7%.

Source: https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/ports/major-chinese-ports-box-volume-growth-slows-25-late-august

To add to the myriad supply chain woes across the US, a potential national work stoppage of the nation’s railroads starting tomorrow is causing widespread alarm.

The six Class I freight railroads in the US started early this week to prepare for the possibility of a system shutdown starting on Friday, when the 30-day cooling-down period mandated by the Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) established on July 17 by President Biden comes to an end.

The railroads are in down-to-the-wire negotiations with the three unions that have not reached tentative agreements. Nine of the 12 involved unions have reached agreements based on PEB recommendations, and two of those agreements have been ratified.

The two largest unions, SMART Transportation Division and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, are not satisfied with the PEB recommendations and are seeking further concessions from the railroads. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers reached a tentative agreement, but it was rejected by union members.Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific, BNSF and CSX, the four largest US railroads, on Monday began limiting service for some shipments, in particular hazardous materials, to ensure that such products are not stranded in the event of a strike.

According to the Association of American Railroads (AAR), a national work stoppage “would dramatically impact economic output and could cost more than $2 billion per day of a shutdown.”

If the parties do not reach agreement through negotiation, the US Congress could pass legislation to implement the recommendations of the PEB.

Source: https://splash247.com/congestion-alert-as-us-railroads-brace-for-strikes/

The Port of San Diego’s new cruise season is about to start and this season is poised to be the Port’s busiest since 2010 with 140 cruises scheduled, up 45 percent from last year, with all sailings at or near full capacity, bringing approximately 460,000 passengers, according to a press release.

“The Port of San Diego’s cruise business is definitely experiencing a rebound and we expect continued growth,” said Port of San Diego Chairman Dan Malcolm. “We’re pleased to be welcoming our cruise customers back to San Diego and to share how wonderful our port is to our cruise passengers. This season’s business will be a great boost to our regional economy.”

The Port’s new cruise season officially begins September 19, 2022 with the arrival of Silversea Cruises’ Star Breeze. Star Breeze will be cruising to Papeete, Tahiti on a 13-day voyage. It will be followed by the Disney Wonder arriving on September 23. Disney Cruise Line is more than doubling its sailings from San Diego this season, moving from 16 to 24 per season to 51. Princess Cruises is also adding new business to San Diego with 13 sailings and will be homeporting here for the first time ever.

The full schedule features long-term Port of San Diego partners Holland America Line and Disney Cruise Line, as well as Princess Cruises, Silversea Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, and Norwegian Cruise Line.

Voyages from MSC Cruises, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, Scenic Luxury Cruises, Oceania Cruises, and American Queen Voyages are also on the calendar.

Itineraries featured include voyages to the Mexican Riviera, Hawaii, the Panama Canal, and the California Coast.

The Port is making some major repairs and improvements to the B Street Cruise Ship Terminal. A project to install a new curtain wall to extend the life and long-term stability of the pier structure is underway. Additionally, shore power capacity is being doubled and the Port will begin connecting two cruise ships simultaneously this fall. Also, in 2024, the Port will begin construction on a $5 million project to make interior improvements to the B Street Cruise Ship Terminal.

Source: https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/28249-port-of-san-diego-to-begin-its-busiest-cruise-season-since-2010.html

Officials at the Port of Long Beach, one of the busiest ports in the nation, have approved a $170 million channel deepening project that will improve navigation and safety for bigger vessels.

Following an extensive environmental review process, the Long Beach Harbor Commission has now greenlit the project, which will also allow the port to welcome newer and more efficient ships.

“By improving navigation in Long Beach Harbor, goods will speed faster around the supply chain, yielding enormous economic benefits for our city, region, and the nation,” said Harbor Commission President Sharon L. Weissman. “At the same time, it will make operations safer and help lessen environmental impacts on our community.”

The Port of Long Beach and the federal government will share in the costs of the project, estimated at almost $170 million. The port’s portion is estimated at $109 million.

Among other features, the project includes deepening the Long Beach Approach Channel from 76 feet to 80 feet deep, easing turning bends in the Main Channel to deepen a wider area to 76 feet, deepening parts of the West Basin from 50 to 55 feet, constructing an approach channel and turning basin to Pier J South with a depth of 55 feet, improving the breakwaters at the entrance to Pier J, and depositing dredged material in nearshore sites for refuse or in federally approved ocean disposal sites.

According to a multi-year federal study conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and completed last October, deepening and widening channels in the harbor would lead to improved vessel navigation, safety, and national economic benefits of almost $21 million annually.

This past July, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a Record of Decision concluding the federal environmental review process for the project. The milestone opens the way for projects to compete for federal funding.

In January, Long Beach was awarded $8 million through the $1 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help initiate and complete the preconstruction, engineering and design phase

“We already accommodate some of the largest ships in the world here,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero. “Deepening and improving our waterways will give these vessels more room to maneuver, and to do so more efficiently by taking on more containers, reducing the number of ship calls and associated emissions.”

Source: https://gcaptain.com/port-of-long-beach-dredging-projects-approved/

The last year’s highest daily container handling volume of Shanghai was 158,858 teu reported in August 2021.

During January and August this year, Shanghai port posted a container volume of 31m teu, slightly increased 0.2% year-on-year, accounting for 64.6% of the whole year’s target.

Earlier this month, Shanghai port launched operation of its Northeast Asia Empty Container Transportation Center. Having a handling capacity of 3m teu container per year, the center is expected to further strengthen Shanghai port’s leading position in global container shipping market.

Source: https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/ports/shanghai-port-breaks-daily-container-volume-record

ICTSI’s Mexico’s Contecon Manzanillo (CMSA), is adding four new rubber-tyred gantries (RTG) to its landside equipment fleet to further consolidate cargo movement at the gateway port.

The new $8m-RTGs will help speed up container loading and unloading times at the terminal. They also reaffirm the company’s commitment to continue strengthening and expanding the port for the benefit of the supply chain.

“With the integration of these RTGs, in addition to the four that we received in the beginning of 2022, we will double our capacity to move cargo–especially by rail–thus adapting to the requirements of the market and our clients,” said José Antonio Contreras, CMSA Chief Executive Officer.

“The arrival of this equipment, together with the investment of $230m in infrastructure and equipment that we are going to start in a few weeks, as well as the construction by ASIPONA of the new exclusive access road to the northern zone of the port and the arrival of the new x-ray equipment for Customs, will consolidate and make the operation of our terminal in Manzanillo more efficient,” he added.

Streamlining CMSA’s operations at the Port of Manzanillo is vital to ensure to the seamless transit of cargo from all over Mexico, especially considering the port’s status as the preferred gateway to the Pacific coast for shippers from Asia.

ICTSI registered revenue of $1.06bn, an increase of 20% from the $882.6m reported for the first six months of 2021.

Source: https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/ports/ictsi-adds-new-equipment-mexico-terminal

Cargoes were transported from the Port of Abu Dhabi to the Beibu Gulf Port, and then transferred to the Qinzhou East Railway Yard Station in mid-August by a block train running through the New Western Land-sea Trade Corridor.

Arrival in Luzhou is expected in three days.

The Qinzhou-Luzhou regular sea-rail block train is an extended service provided by the Port of Qinzhou as a part of the New Western Land-Sea Trade Corridor construction efforts.

COSCO said it can save approximately 25 days for the entire transportation period compared with the traditional intermodal transport mode.

Last month, COSCO SHIPPING announced interim results for the first half of 2022, boasting revenues of $704.6 million.

The figure stands for a 24.7 per cent year-on-year (YoY) increase.

Source: https://www.porttechnology.org/news/cosco-shipping-launches-qinzhou-luzhou-intermodal-train-service/

The Port of Los Angeles and a range of elected officials and industry leaders joined U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg today to celebrate the award of a $20 million federal RAISE infrastructure grant for a critical road-railway grade separation project at the Port.

“We’re proud to be here marking such important progress being made, but also recognizing that there is so much more to do to fix the supply chains that were torn up by the pandemic and to make them more resilient for years to come – and right here we have a great example of that,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “We are delighted to formally celebrate the award of $20 million to the Port of Los Angeles to reduce trucking delays and allow freight trains to move goods more rapidly, reducing shipping costs as part of the fight against inflation.”

Facilitating faster cargo movement, the new roadway configuration will streamline truck access to an important container and chassis-access facility on the Port’s Terminal Island, reducing traffic delays, truck dwell times and greenhouse gas emissions from idling vehicles.

“L.A.’s port isn’t just the backbone of our region’s prosperity — it’s one of America’s most powerful economic drivers, and a crossroads that helps connect our country to the rest of the world,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. “When complete, this roadway made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Secretary Buttigieg’s leadership will help our port move cargo more efficiently and meet our most critical sustainability goals.”

“This is a milestone moment in the investment in our nation’s ports and I applaud Secretary Buttigieg for bringing this critical funding to where it’s needed most,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. “As the Western Hemisphere’s busiest trade gateway, this grant will help us further accelerate our plans to build resiliency, increase efficiencies and sustainability, as well as create jobs.”

The project will entail construction of a four-lane, rail-roadway grade separation, which will allow unimpeded truck access to an 80-acre marine support facility (MSF) on Terminal Island, a central location serving all terminals in the San Pedro Bay port complex. Currently, access to this facility for chassis and empty shipping container storage is impeded by several heavily used rail tracks and a tunnel with low vertical clearance, both of which will be addressed by the project.

When completed, the new rail-roadway will connect trucks directly to the highway system in two directions, resulting in a reduction of 2,500 truck-hour delays daily; a decrease of more than 3,000 metric tons of emissions per year; and a reduction of 1,200 truck miles traveled per day, which will also decrease accident potential in the area. The project will generate 300 new jobs.

The $20 million award comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program, which received more funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed by Congress in 2021. RAISE grants focus on planning and capital investments that support roads, bridges, transit, rail, ports and intermodal transportation.

The busiest seaport in the Western Hemisphere, the Port of Los Angeles is North America’s leading trade gateway and has ranked as the number one container port in the United States for 22 consecutive years. In 2021, the Port facilitated $294 billion in trade and handled a total of 10.7 million container units, the busiest calendar year in the Port’s 115-year history. San Pedro Bay port complex operations and commerce facilitate one in nine jobs across the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura.

Source:https://www.maritimeprofessional.com/news/port-angeles-awarded-million-infrastructure-379239

Port of LA box volumes down 15%, Long Beach flat in August

Israeli start-ups pitch to Port of Barcelona

Major Chinese ports box volume growth slows to 2.5% in late August

Congestion alert as US railroads brace for strikes

Port of San Diego to Begin its Busiest Cruise Season Since 2010

Port of Long Beach Dredging Projects Approved

Shanghai port breaks daily container volume record

ICTSI adds new equipment in Mexico terminal

COSCO SHIPPING launches Qinzhou-Luzhou intermodal train service

Port of Los Angeles Awarded $20 Million Infrastructure Grant

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