Port News

The six-year deal contains good news for shippers concerning labor peace and the non-interruption of cargo. However, the deal is a setback for tech-driven and automation-driven efficiency improvements.

A grant, for two projects, reflects the ongoing effort by the Port of New York and New Jersey, the East Coast’s largest port, to boost the use of barges and reduce the volume of trucks on roads in and around the port area, curbing pollution.

In the midst of a volume uptrend, Montreal is the latest North American port to try extending its terminal gate hours to improve cargo fluidity in and out of the terminal, and to place a charge on containers to pay for it.

The electronic logging device (ELD) mandate did not cause a loss of drivers, but a loss of driving hours. Further, changes shippers made that were propelled by the ELD are likely to be lasting, even if exemption amendments for selected trucking segments are passed.

Stakeholder APM Terminals Mumbai informed parties of likely delays. “This stoppage of traffic will have an adverse impact on terminal gate movement and traffic around [the] port area,” APM Terminals stated in a trade advisory.

Brazil's Wilport Operadores Portuarias, part of the diversified Wilson, Sons shipping group, has already handled more than 20,000 TEU this year, thanks in great deal to its popular feeder service between Porto Alegre/Triunfo and Tecon Rio Grande. And there are strong indications that a substantial volume increase is achievable in the years ahead.

However, given India’s hyper-competitive shipping market, one month is not enough to conclude that the volume boost represents a long-term freight shift toward Pipavav from hinterland shippers controlled by rivals.

US chemical producers knew a sector boom would create logistics challenges. But what they did not anticipate was other growing sectors putting extreme pressure on US trucking as well, with a huge spillover to intermodal rail.

Transshipment traffic is the cargo that is transported between an Indian port and an international “hub” port, when direct mainline connections are not available.

Direct port delivery — in which importers can clear their cargo direct from the wharf within 48 hours of landing at the port — is an integral part of the Indian government’s efforts to decrease cargo dwell times and increase productivity.

To date, five feeder vessels have left the port, failing to receive 1,168 TEU of export containers, as those containers did not reach the port yard in time.

After cabotage relaxation was implemented May 21, foreign-flag carriers became free to transport laden export-import containers for transshipment and empty containers for re-positioning between Indian ports.

The desire to control global end-to-end container logistics is a strategy that mirrors those being employed by container lines, most notably Maersk Group, which is using in-house units Maersk Line, APM Terminals, and Damco.

The E*Dray platform will enhance the ability of beneficial cargo owners and their truckers to aggregate containers into peel-off piles at the ports — and with the new system the potential is there for a substantial reduction in truck turn times.

The water level of the Upper Rhine is getting close to a critical point and barge operators are being forced to suspend their operations or only use one-third of their capacity, according to Hapag-Lloyd.

Businesses applauded the decision, terming it a “superb step” that will help the port achieve its goal of maximum use, around the clock.

The port of Halifax has three objectives in mind with its tech upgrades, and if the port is successful shippers and other trade stakeholders will benefit from all three.

An invaded ship is the latest job action by dockworkers at the port of Santos. They say they extend their existing three-day job action that ends Saturday if Brazil’s government does not agree to their pay/pension demands.

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust handles the majority of India’s container freight and, as such, the government is extremely keen on reducing cargo dwell times there.

Terminal underinvestment points to trade growing at a stronger rate than terminal expansion in the immediate years ahead. Further, there’s another container shipping trend that’s placing an additional demand on terminals/ports.

APM Terminals is in the midst of a whirlwind trade outreach program, with the goal of attracting more customers to its recent ease-of-doing-business measures.

The leading container ports still call the shots — thanks to the schedules of the three powerful alliances — but rival smaller ports are adding business and in the process are giving shippers options to northern and southern Europe.

Just when conditions started to return to normal for shippers who use Santos, stevedores Wednesday will implement a three-day strike aimed at securing an agreed-to pay increase.

Resin exporters, whose product — barring an all-out, global trade war — will likely continue to uptrend in the years ahead, have turned to the US Southeast to meet their facility needs, and there are objective reasons why they've done so.

A move of three unassembled air cooling condensers to three different construction sites added layers of complexity to an international logistics solution.

It is another bad news, good news statistic for Antwerp and Rotterdam. The bad: an intermodal operator has warned that barge congestion is already causing delays of up to 36 hours at Antwerp and 72 hours at Rotterdam. The good: container volume growth continues to shine.

Anyone who drives through the Wando Welch Terminal in Charleston or Garden City Terminal in Savannah would quickly see that the room is there for chassis, if they were available.

Protesters — seeking a special, community-based reservation program for jobs and education — blockaded all main highways and port connecting arteries.

Local trade sources said that labor groups are pressing for a reversal of an action by APM Terminals.

The expansion is needed to process increasing cargo volumes in the Manaus industrial park, also known as the Manaus Free Trade Zone.

The Northwest Seaport Alliance argues the market share loss is due to cheaper intermodal rail rates, but Prince Rupert says that is not the case — that two other factors are driving its value proposition.

The two candidates standing for election appear to have identified the correct formula concerning two leadership factors.

The latest expansion in South Carolina provides yet another data point concerning one vessel trend in North America.

Shippers should be pleased by an increase in competition in several Baltic region trade lanes.

A deal between the port of Santos and pilots will allow more cargo to enter the port and provide carriers with more operational flexibility.

Singapore's local drayage market has historically been highly disorganized and reliant on outdated modes of communication.

While higher pay should improve labor relations, a host of other worker concerns remain unresolved.

Shippers express concern about a recent spike in container dwell times in Vancouver, but Global Container Terminals Canada and Canadian National Railway say the fluctuations do not mean things will get worse during peak season.

New York City and the Port of New York and New Jersey are preparing for a future of strong growth and more demanding supply chains.

Major ports’ productivity statistics collected from official sources show vessel turnaround times have dramatically improved in recent years.