Port Traffic Metrics: Caribbean/Latin America, Los Angeles, Saint John (NB)

Caribbean/Latin America: Container Traffic Rebound in First Quarter 2017

Containers throughput at ports of Latin America and the Caribbean Sea increased 6.7 percent during first quarter 2017, reports ECLAC – the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, a UN agency based in Santiago de Chile. That reverses the pattern of decline of the past several years, including 2016, when the regionwide TEU count fell 0.9 percent.

The greatest growth occurred in the Dominican Republic (+38.8 percent), Nicaragua (+22.1 percent), Panama (+12.6 percent), Mexico (+10.0 percent), Chile (+10.0 percent), Peru (+8.2 percent), Guatemala (+6.9 percent) and Honduras (+7.7 percent).  Declines from January-March 2017 were posted by Colombia (-4.7 percent) and Ecuador (-6.1 percent).  Data were unavailable for Venezuela.

Among ports, the top performers were: Caucedo (+54 percent) and Haina (+18 percent) in the Dominican Republic; Suape (+ 31 percent) in Brazil; Puerto Barrios (+29.5 percent) in Honduras; Colon (26.4 percent) in Panama; Valparaiso (+21.9 percent) in Chile; Paita (+18.2 percent) and Callao (+7.3 percent) in Peru; and the Mexican ports of Veracruz (+13.5 percent), Manzanillo (+10.3 percent) and Altamira (+9.9 percent). The steepest declines were experienced by Guayaquil (-6.1percent), Buenos Aires (-9,1percent), Paranaguá (-7.3 percent); and Buenaventura (-18.5 percent).

Los Angeles’ 9.2 Million TEUs Set Western Hemisphere Record in FY 2017

The Port of Los Angeles closed its 12-month fiscal year on June 30 with container throughput totaling of 9.2 million TEUs. That was up 9.7 percent from FY 2015-16 and set a record not just for the port, but the entire Western Hemisphere. The June TEU count also increased, by 8.1 percent, making it port’s second busiest June ever.

Last month’s data reflect gains from June 2016 of 4.7 percent inbound loads, 3.5 percent for outbound loads, and 18.6 percent for empty containers, for a total overall of 731,032 TEUs. The port’s June record, 736,439 TEUs, was set in 2014.

The first half CY 2017 total of 4,482,548 TEUs beat the prior year count by 8.4 percent and put the port on track to another record year.

 "As we mark the mid-point of 2017, we are grateful to our terminal operators, shipping lines, labor force and land-side supply chain stakeholders for their focus on teamwork and efficiency, because they are the reason why we attained record-breaking volumes these past 12 months," said Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles.  "Despite unprecedented change in our industry, we are demonstrating the LA Advantage in terms of world-class infrastructure, competitive pricing and extraordinary customer service."

Current and past data container counts for the Port of Los Angeles may be found here.

Port Saint John: First Half Cargo Tonnage Up

Port Saint John processed nearly 15.5 million metric tons of cargo during the first six months of calendar year 2017. That was up 4.1 percent from a year ago, thanks to growth in the dry bulk (especially potash and recycled metal), breakbulk and project cargo sectors.

Container traffic, measured in TEUs, fell by half, but the port expects a rebound in August when CMA CGM joins MSC and Bahri Logistics in offering ocean carrier services at Saint John.

"We are working hard to increase the cargo service offerings at Port Saint John, and we look forward to sharing growth results at the end of this year," said Jim Quinn, the port authority’s president & CEO. "By leveraging our partnerships with both CN and with DP World we are blending North American wide rail connections with global trade reach and influence. These important factors together with our terminal modernization plan will achieve the common objective of continued growth and a bright future for the port and its supporting port service community."