Port Traffic Metrics: Miami, Seattle/Tacoma
PortMiami Container Trade Expansion Continues
Containerized cargo volumes are growing at PortMiami, where throughput for the first four months of fiscal year 2015/16 rose 8.2 percent from year-earlier levels. January volume alone jumped nearly 20 percent compared to January 2015.
PortMiami officials attribute the new trends and continued volume growth to more than $1 billion of recently completed capital infrastructure projects. Channel depth is now -50/-52 feet. A newly opened access tunnel connects the port directly with the U.S. Interstate Highway System as well as Florida East Coast Railway (FECR) on-dock intermodal rail service, provide rapid turnaround time for the movement of both import and export goods.
"Together the port and FECR move a variety of goods ranging from grain and food products to electronics, furniture and waste products," said FECR President & CEO Jim Hertwig, "Accompanying the Port's growth, FECR saw a substantial increase in intermodal volume at the on-dock rail facility from the previous year. Today we are well-positioned to support vessels capable of hauling more than 10,000 TEUs, and will continue to promote multi-modal shipping and support global trade into and out of South Florida alongside our partners at PortMiami."
"PortMiami’s top trading regions are well-diversified," said Port Director and CEO Juan M. Kuryla, PPM®. "We are confident that international trade and commerce at PortMiami will only get stronger as we continue to work on diversifying our services into emerging markets such as India, Africa, South Korea and others. We are continually striving to create new programs, incentives and infrastructure accommodations for our customers."
Puget Sound Container Volumes Post Double-Digit Gains In February
Cargo continued to return to the Puget Sound gateway in February, with container volumes through Seattle and Tacoma facilities of the Northwest Seaport Alliance jumping 21 percent compared to February 2015.
Imports alone increased by 29 percent and exports by 47 percent, while domestic and empty container volumes were marginally lower.
Auto imports and breakbulk cargo saw declines last month due to seasonal volume fluctuations and fewer vessel calls. Auto imports fell 11 percent year to date to 25,190 units, while breakbulk dropped 40 percent to 25,973 metric tons. The Alliance expects both to grow in 2016.
View details of February 2016 container volumes and cargo statistics.
The Northwest Seaport Alliance is a marine cargo operating partnership of the Port of Seattle and Port of Tacoma. Under a port development authority, the ports manage the container, breakbulk, auto and some bulk terminals in Seattle and Tacoma.