North American ports

Port drayage companies say they’re frustrated with a third consecutive week of delays that have caused long truck lines at Port of New York and New Jersey container terminals.

WASHINGTON — The approach the U.S. House of Representatives takes in tackling the long-delayed Water Resources Development Act over the coming months could signal how the chamber will deal with the next federal surface transportation bill.

Port Canaveral is pursuing the development of an inland port near the north end of Brevard County, Fla., in conjunction with the start this fall of the widening and deepening of the Florida port’s 3.5 mile channel.

The Georgia Ports Authority’s board of directors has elected Robert S. Jepson Jr. to serve a second term as chairman of the board.

The Massachusetts Port Authority has approved a business plan and budget for fiscal year 2014 of $592 million, up 2.5 percent or $14.4 million compared with the previous year.

Changing trade flows are placing demands on ports to develop export-oriented facilities, especially those that handle food products, both dry and refrigerated, according to Moffatt and Nichol commercial advisor Anne Landstrom.

The Port of Tacoma reported its container volume in May was 758,071 20-foot-equivalent units, increasing 31 percent year-over-year.

The Port of Long Beach’s board of harbor commissioners has elected board member Thomas Fields as its president for a one-year term that will begin on July 1.

The South Carolina Ports Authority board of directors approved its fiscal year 2014 plan, which includes volume increases across business segments and $123 million in capital spending on a number of projects.

The Galveston County Rural Rail Transportation District has signed an agreement with Legacy Port Partners for a feasibility study for a new freight rail connection to Pelican Island...

The Port of Long Beach reported total container volume in May was 583,588 20-foot-equivalent units, up 17.2 percent compared with the same month last year, making it the highest monthly container volume since October 2010.

The Port of Seattle has selected Panattoni Development Co. to develop the Des Moines Creek Business Park.

The Port of Los Angeles reported cargo volume in May dropped 12.9 percent compared with the same month last year.

West Coast ports must seek a balance as they prepare for the onslaught of big ships carriers are bringing into the trans-Pacific. On the one hand, they need larger terminals to handle the big ships, but on the other, they don’t want to build too much capacity.

The St. Lawrence Seaway reported cargo shipments from March 22 to May 31 totaled 8.1 million metric tons, down 12 percent compared to the same period in 2012.

The Port of Virginia handled 191,368 20-foot-equivalent units in May, rising 7.2 percent or 12,784 units from May 2012.

The Port of Long Beach’s board of harbor commissioners has appointed Al Moro, chief harbor engineer, as the California port’s interim executive director. His appointment will take effect following a formal vote on June 17.

Container ship lines are supporting a state legislative effort to repeal a cargo facilities charge that carriers say is costing them millions of dollars a year at the Port of New York and New Jersey.

Four new super-post-Panamax, ship-to-shore cranes today arrived at Georgia Ports Authority’s Garden City Terminal at the Port of Savannah.

The Port of Los Angeles will develop an energy management action plan to improve and assess energy efficiency at the container port.

The Port of Virginia plans to halt work for four hours June 12 for a meeting to allow employers to make their case for gradually reducing the size of some container-handling gangs in the local International Longshoremen’s Association contract.

Coos Bay Rail Link and the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay have entered into a 10-year agreement authorizing CBR to operate the 134-mile line.

The Port of Jacksonville’s channel-deepening project will cost $733 million, according to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers analysis.

Yang Ming is extending its lease at the Port of Los Angeles for an additional nine years.

Timetable for upcoming work on the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project.

Congressional reauthorization to start dredging may be waiting in the wings, but the Georgia Ports Authority isn’t waiting around for the $652 million in funding before beginning work on its long-delayed Savannah Harbor Expansion Project. Indeed, the GPA is pressing ahead with pre-engineering and preparations for environmental mitigation along the 29-mile length of the river channel leading to the Port of Savannah.

U.S. District Judge Richard M. Gergel today accepted the settlement agreement between all parties involved in the mediation regarding the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project...

A New Jersey legislative bill seeks to eliminate a Port Authority of New York and New Jersey cargo facility charge that container ship lines complain is costing them millions of dollars a year.

Alabama State Port Authority has named Frank Fogarty as vice president for trade and development, effective June 3, according to Jimmy Lyons, ASPA’s director and CEO.

The Virginia Port Authority’s board of commissioners has approved a long-term restructuring plan for the authority and its terminal operating company, Virginia International Terminals.

Port tenants in Long Beach on Friday urged the harbor commission to immediately begin the process of finding a replacement for Executive Director J. Christopher Lytle, who 24 hours earlier announced he was resigning to become executive director of the Port of Oakland.

The shocking announcement that J. Christopher Lytle, executive director of the Port of Long Beach, will resign to become executive director at the Port of Oakland is a major loss for the nation’s second largest container port and a huge victory for the Northern California port,

The Port of Charleston in South Carolina reported container volume in April was 134,718 20-foot-equivalent units, rising 9 percent year-over-year and increasing 17 percent compared with April 2011.

Oregon’s Port of Portland reported container traffic totaled 14,006 20-foot-equivalent units in April, dropping 30 percent year-over-year and 17 percent month-to-month.

Adolph Ojard, executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority in Minnesota, will retire this year after serving in the role for the past decade.

J. Christopher Lytle, executive director of the Port of Long Beach, will leave in mid-July to take the same post at the Port of Oakland.

The Port of Tacoma in Washington reported container volume from January to April was 617,076 20-foot-equivalent units, up 35 percent year-over-year.