East Coast ports

Port of Virginia approves construction bid for on-dock rail expansion

The Port of Virginia has approved a $61.5 million construction bid for a project aimed at increasing the port’s on-dock rail capacity to 1.1 million containers a year.

The project consists of expanding the double-stack, on-dock rail operation at the Norfolk port by doubling the size of the Central Rail Yard at Norfolk International Terminals (NIT). The board of commissioners for the Virginia Port Authority last Tuesday unanimously approved the bid by Allan Myers Virginia Inc., which had handled...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/port-of-virginia-approves-construction-bid-for-on-dock-rail-expansion

Loaded imports, empty exports boost Port of Virginia’s FY 2021 volumes

A photograph of containers at the Port of Virginia.

An increase in loaded imports, along with volume growth for empty export boxes, contributed to the Port of Virginia achieving record cargo volumes for its fiscal year 2021, which ran from July 1, 2020, through June 30.

The port handled a record 3.2 million twenty-foot equivalent units in FY 2021, a 16.8% increase from FY 2020. The port complex, located in Norfolk, also handled nearly 1.8 million containers, a 15.6% gain from a year ago.

Loaded import TEUs rose 18.6% to 1.5 million TEUs in FY 21...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/loaded-imports-empty-exports-boost-port-of-virginias-fy-2021-volumes

South Carolina Ports Authority boasts record 2021 fiscal year

A photograph of intermodal containers being hauled by a freight train.

South Carolina Ports Authority celebrated a banner year for its Port of Charleston complex.

The port system handled a record 2.55 million TEUs in its fiscal year that ended on June 30, a 9.6% increase from fiscal year 2020, at the Port of Charleston’s Wando Welch, North Charleston and Hugh K. Leatherman terminals.

Although fiscal year 2021 kicked off last July 2020 amid nationwide business shutdowns brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, South Carolina Ports Authority (SC Ports) and others soon...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/south-carolina-ports-authority-boasts-record-2021-fiscal-year

All eyes on East Coast ports as volumes spike, Ever Given fallout looms

The Ever Given is no longer lodged in the Suez Canal, but the pileup it caused has everyone wondering what repercussions may materialize in the coming weeks. While most of the cargo containers transiting the Suez Canal move from Asia to Europe, significant volumes also travel from Southeast Asia and India to the East Coast of the U.S.

Over the next few weeks, interested parties will be looking to East Coast ports to see whether those repercussions mean a loss of domestic freight volumes. But...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/all-eyes-on-east-coast-ports-as-volumes-spike-ever-given-fallout-looms

US ports, shippers face major fallout from Suez Canal chaos

Suez Canal

The mega-container ship Ever Given is finally free. The Suez Canal is unblocked. Problem solved? Not even close. The problems for container lines and shippers have just begun. In the U.S. market, East Coast cargo flows will bear the brunt of the fallout — although it will be felt nationwide.

Most of the containers transiting the Suez Canal move from Asia to Europe. But this waterway also handles very significant volumes from Southeast Asia and India to the East Coast.

Asian containers head to the...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/us-ports-shippers-face-major-fallout-from-suez-canal-chaos

Commentary: US DOT’s rail freight ‘outlook’ signals huge changes

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates.

In early September, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) published an updated national freight plan. Was that a big deal or a little deal? Well, if states, towns and private companies want to obtain possible federal grants and/or loans for any transport projects (including rail), yes, it is an important benchmark. 

Let us recite what the national “plan”...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/commentary-us-dots-rail-freight-outlook-signals-huge-changes

Commentary: Intermodal missed signals? Fumbling so close to the growth goal line?

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates.

When trying to comprehend what’s going on in complex markets, it’s best to consider multiple expert opinions. It is also prudent to consider different ways to sort the data sets available and then display them against other matched datasets.

The more views, the better the comprehension. In the digital age, there are a lot more sources.

Figure 1 (below) identifies...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/commentary-intermodal-missed-signals-fumbling-so-close-to-the-growth-goal-line

Maritime History Notes: When US intercoastal lumber trade floated fleets

Maritime History Notes

For over 100 years, U.S.-flag ships carried lumber from the West Coast to the East and Gulf coasts. About 40 ships were regularly employed in this trade, making about 200 voyages annually. Additionally, more than 200 smaller ships — steam schooners affectionately called the Scandinavian Navy — transported lumber from the Pacific Northwest to San Francisco and Southern California. 

An interesting feature of this trade was that many of the ships were owned by lumber companies that sought to...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/maritime-history-notes-when-us-intercoastal-lumber-trade-floated-fleets

California governor urged to reverse ports’ receding market share

California Gov. Gavin Newsom got a letter Monday asking that the state take action to reverse the loss of market share at West Coast container ports.

The Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA), the first signatory, was joined by such organizations as the California Trucking Association, Harbor Trucking Association, California Railroad Association, Future Ports, Pacific Maritime Association, National Retail Federation, Agriculture Transportation Coalition, and Pacific Coast Customs Brokers...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/california-governor-urged-to-reverse-ports-receding-market-share

East Coasts ports optimistic for post-coronavirus recovery

Officials from South Carolina and New York/New Jersey ports see an end in sight to blanked sailings and lower volumes.

“Despite what’s happening right now, we are very optimistic. We think May and June is going to be the worst of it in terms of COVID impacts and then I think we’re going to bounce back quite strong,” Sam Ruda, marine director for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), told the Agriculture Transportation Coalition (AgTC) during its virtual annual meeting Thursday.

“...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/east-coasts-ports-optimistic-for-post-coronavirus-recovery

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