Cargo Operations: Grays Harbor, Great Lakes

Increased auto imports, capable handling of oversized project cargoes and efficient management of space resulted in increased jobs and opportunity at the Port of Grays Harbor’s Terminal 4.

 

Terminal 4 has been abuzz with activity this past month with thousands of autos being processed as well as unique pieces of over-high, over-wide equipment being handled.

 

Last month, six roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) vessels called Terminal 4, discharging imports and loading export autos as well as hundreds of pieces of over-high, over-wide equipment bound for various Pacific Rim Countries, including the heaviest piece the Port has ever handled which required four cranes from local contractor, Rognlin’s, Inc. to load, as well as several unique components for an aquarium being built in China.

 

"While it’s exciting to see all of the activity at the terminal, it’s even more exciting to see all of jobs the activity supports in action," explained Deputy Executive Director Leonard Barnes. "From longshoremen and local contractors, to teamsters and truck drivers, hundreds of jobs are generated by the cargoes coming and going at Terminal 4."

 

 

Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 28 million tons in 2017, an increase of 6.4 percent compared to 2016.  2017’s loadings were also 2.1 percent above the trade’s 5-year average.

 

Loadings from U.S. quarries totaled 23.2 million tons, an increase of 8.4 percent compared to 2016.  Shipments from U.S. quarries also inched passed their 5-year average.

 

Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 4.85 million tons, a decrease of 2.1 percent from 2016, but 10.4 percent better than their 5-year average.

 

Since 1880, Lake Carriers’ Association has represented the U.S.-flag Great Lakes fleet, which today can annually move more than 90 million tons of cargos that are the foundation of American manufacturing, power generation, and construction: iron ore, limestone, coal, cement, and other dry bulk materials such as grain and sand.  In turn, these cargos generate and sustain more than 103,000 jobs in the eight Great Lakes states and have an annual economic impact of more than $20 billion.  More information is available at www.lcaships.com.