Massport Set to Procure Three New Cranes For Conley Terminal

BOSTON – The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) Board of Directors voted to approve $45 million for the procurement of three new ship-to-shore cranes that continues an $850 million investment plan to keep the Port of Boston competitive for New England’s importers and exporters while protecting and growing the blue-collar jobs in the working port.

“Purchasing these new cranes will help us keep the positive momentum going at Conley Terminal,” said Massport CEO Thomas P. Glynn. “We’ve seen four straight years of record breaking container numbers. Revitalizing the working Port of Boston means strategically purchasing equipment and modernizing the terminal to support that growth.”

The new low profile cranes will be able to serve large container ships as wide as 22 containers and come at an important time. Conley Container Terminal has set volume records in four consecutive years, processing 283,720 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in FY2018. The consistent growth is attributed to the strong regional economy, the higher levels of productivity, and the ease of doing business through an efficient and virtually congestion-free terminal.

“We have made tremendous progress making Conley Terminal an easy place to do business and these three new cranes will be a critical addition as we continue moving forward,” said Lisa Wieland, Massport’s Port Director. “The Port’s strong working relationships with ocean carriers, the Northeast supply chain community, and the International Longshoremen’s Association are key to Conley Terminal’s growth and its success as a full-service regional gateway.”

Conley Terminal processed 283,720 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in FY2018, a fourth straight record, with import volume up 11 percent, to 163,543 TEUs. The consistent growth is attributed to the strong regional economy, the higher levels of productivity, and the ease of doing business through an efficient and virtually congestion-free terminal, making the Port of Boston a competitive gateway for the Northeast region.

Massport is investing in waterside and landside infrastructure to keep Conley Terminal competitive and cost-effective. The Boston Harbor Dredging Project is a $350 million partnership between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and Massport. The project includes maintenance dredging of the inner harbor, which was completed last year, and the deepening of the main ship channels, which began in July, to accommodate the large container vessels calling today and in the future.

An additional $500 million of planned landside infrastructure investments are underway supported by a $42 million U.S. DOT FASTLANE Grant and $107.5 million from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In addition to the new ship-to-shore cranes, Conley Terminal improvements include the construction of two 50-foot berths, expanded reefer storage, and new in-and-out gate facilities. Additionally, Massport and Columbia Intermodal have worked together to introduce 300 new chassis to the Fargo Street chassis pool this October, just in time to support the demands of the holiday peak season.

Conley Terminal is the only full-service container terminal in New England and serves eight of the top 10 shipping lines in the world. Each year, more than 1.9 million metric tons of cargo passes through the terminal. Containerized cargo that uses Conley’s regional gateway includes seafood, wine and spirits, logs and lumber, furniture, apparel, among several other commodities supporting development and economic growth in this region.

The Port is the main artery of Massachusetts’ consumer economy, with imports and exports serving as vital catalysts for growth, investment and jobs. More than 1,600 businesses across New England use the Port to connect to the global economy. The Port generates $4.6 billion in annual economic impact and supports 7,000 direct jobs.

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The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) owns and operates Boston Logan International Airport, public terminals in the Port of Boston, Hanscom Field, and Worcester Regional Airport. Massport is a financially self-sustaining public authority whose premier transportation facilities generate more than $15 billion annually, and enhance and enable economic growth and vitality in New England. For more information, please visit massport.com.