Port Traffic Metrics: Green Bay, Long Beach, Mexico, Northwest Seaports

Green Bay: Petroleum Products Impacted 2016 Shipping Season

The Port of Green Bay reports handling some 1.8 million metric tons of cargo during the 2016 shipping season.  
Though short of the 2.0 million ton goal and down 9 percent compared to 2015, "it was still a good season," declared Port Director Dean Haen. "The numbers indicated that economy in Northeast Wisconsin remains strong."
The season opened March 21, 2016, and ended January 13, 2017.

Major positive contributors to the 2016 season included increases in domestic imports of petroleum products (+1,421 percent) and U.S. salt (+40 percent). The petroleum upsurge resulted from the closing of a pipeline served Northeast Wisconsin. A shift in mine sources from Canada to the United States affected the Green Bay’s salt trade.

Overall, the port experienced declines of 4 percent in domestic cargo receipts, 50 percent in domestic shipments, 13 percent in foreign imports and 24 percent in foreign exports. Click here for details.

"The most significant change resulting in those decreases as well as the increase in domestic imports of petroleum products can be attributed to the petroleum pipeline closure," Mr. Haen explained. "Prior to the closure, US Venture exported diesel, gasoline and ethanol to other markets. With the closure of the pipeline, the exports flipped to imports to meet the demand for petroleum products."

Looking ahead to 2017, Mr. Haen foresees gains for limestone and petroleum products and decreases in coal and cement (due to continued low cost natural gas and the completion of a major highway construction project).

"The port," he said, "is a vital component of our area economy and an economic engine not found in many communities; generating employment opportunities for the region and bringing revenue into our area. We want to capitalize on that to expand the movements of diverse cargo and extend the port’s reach to new markets in 2017."

Mexican Port Cargo, Cruise and Auto Traffic Hit Record Highs in 2016

Mexico’s ports handled a record 297.3 million metric tons of cargo in 2016, an increase of 1.6 percent compared to 2015, according to preliminary data reported by the national port agency, Dirección General de Puertos. Cruise passenger and auto traffic also set records.

Foreign trade grew by 7.2 percent, reflecting increases of 12.0 percent for imports and 3.2 percent for exports. Domestic cargo fell for the second consecutive year, down 14.8 percent from 2015.

The Pacific Coast port range accounted for 129.7 million tons (+1.9 percent) and the Mexican Gulf ports for 167.6 million tons (+1.4 percent) of the cargo handled in 2016.

Tonnage increases were posted by petroleum (+2.5 percent), breakbulk (+4.4 percent), bulk minerals (+3.7 percent), and non-petroleum liquid bulks (+16.3 percent) and declines by containerized cargo (-5.4 percent) and agribulks (-5.1 percent).   

Mexico’s so-called "commercial ports" accounted for 57.5 percent of cargo handled nationwide in 2016, with the balance going to ports specializing in bulk cargoes, such as petroleum and minerals. The commercial ports handled all of the containers and automobiles and much of the break bulk, dry bulk and non-petroleum liquids shipped through the Mexican port system last year.

The top ranked ports based on total tonnage, including petroleum, were Manzanillo; Dos Bocas; Coatzacoalcos, Cayo Arcas and Lázaro Cárdenas.

Mexico’s so-called "commercial ports" accounted for 56 percent of cargo handled nationwide in 2016, with the balance going to ports specializing in bulk cargoes, such as petroleum and minerals. The commercial ports handled all of the containers and automobiles and much of the break bulk, dry bulk and non-petroleum liquids shipped through the Mexican port system last year.

Mexico’s box trade hit a record high for the seventh year in a row, up 3.2 percent from 2015 to nearly 5.7 million loaded and empty TEUs. Manzanillo remained the nation’s leading container handler with 2.5 million TEUs, followed by Lázaro Cárdenas (1.1 million TEUs), Veracruz (965,294 TEUs) and Altamira (684,931 TEUs). The Pacific ports collectively accounted for 69.3 percent of Mexican container throughput in 2016, down from 69.7 percent in 2015.

Veracruz continued its dominance of Mexico’s vehicle trade, importing and exporting 770,729 units, or 59 percent of the 2016 national total. Lázaro Cárdenas ranked first on the Pacific coast and second nationally, with 311,740. Overall, the nation’s auto trade rose 2.8 percent in 2016 to a record 1,306,742, with imports totaling 609,940 vehicles (+12.6 percent) and exports 696,802 (-7.2 percent).

Mexico’s cruise ports had a strong year in 2016, with increases of 8.2 percent in passenger throughput to 6.4 million and 3.8 percent in vessel arrivals to 2,262. Cruise ships visiting Mexico in 2016 carried an average of 2,837 passengers per port call, compared to 2,719 in 2015 and 2,001 in 2005. The leading ports in 2016 based on passenger volume were Cozumel (3.6 million), Majahual (673,661), Ensenada (650,225), and Cabo San Lucas (383,381).

See the attachments for further detail. The first profiles Mexican port traffic for calendar years 2008 through 2016.  The second presents Mexican port rankings based on total tonnage (Table 1), container TEUs (Table 2) and cruise passengers (Table 3).

Long Beach: Port Trade Dips to 6.8 Million TEUs in 2016

Slowed by industry headwinds and challenges that included a major customer declaring bankruptcy, the Port of Long Beach still moved almost 6.8 million containers in 2016, its fifth best year ever.

Volume overall declined 5.8 percent in 2016 compared to 2015, as the port was impacted by new ocean carrier alliances and the August bankruptcy of Hanjin Shipping, a former majority stakeholder in the 381-acre Pier T container terminal — Long Beach’s largest.

By year’s end, the Harbor Commission had approved an agreement for a subsidiary of Mediterranean Shipping Co. to take sole control of the long-term lease at Pier T.

"As the new year starts, we’re grateful to be able to put the Hanjin bankruptcy behind us," said Port Interim Chief Executive Duane Kenagy. "At the same time, MSC’s quick interest in Pier T once it became available shows the facility’s value to the industry. We’re looking forward to a mutually beneficial partnership with MSC and the 2M Alliance."

Cargo was 8 percent lower in December than December 2015. Imports decreased by 8.2 percent, exports by 2.5 percent, and empties by 11.4 percent.

The year-end total, 6,775,171 TEUs, fell 5.8 percent compared to 2015, with imports down 5.0 percent, exports unchanged and empty containers down 11.7 percent.

Click here for detailed Port of Long Beach container trade statistics.

Seattle/Tacoma: NWSA 2016 Container Trade Rose to 8-Year High

The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) reports container throughput at its Seattle and Tacoma marine terminals totaled 3,615,752 TEUs, a 2.4 percent increase compared to 2015 and the most since 2007.

In detail, the data show gains of 6 percent and 13 percent, respectively for imports and exports. Domestic container traffic fell 1.5 percent as Alaska struggled with a decline in oil- and gas-related activity due to low commodity prices.

The alliance experienced another strong month in December with gains of 14 percent for imports and 6 percent for exports.

Other cargo: 

• Breakbulk cargo dropped 23 percent for the year to 181,372 metric tons, a result of the global downturn in agricultural, mining and construction equipment, and a strong U.S. dollar.

• Log exports declined 25 percent for the year to 176,928 metric tons due to decreased demand in China and competition from New Zealand.

• The alliance’s auto trade fell 10 percent to 165,687 units because of production issues as well as supply chain shifts.

To learn more, click on Container volumes – December 2016 and Cargo statistics – December 2016.

The NWSA is a marine cargo operating partnership created in August 2015 by the ports of Tacoma and Seattle.