Port Traffic Metrics: Boston, Los Angeles, Virginia
Boston: Record Growth Continues at Massport’s Conley Container Terminal
Massport’s Paul W. Conley Container Terminal in the Port of Boston set a calendar year record in 2016 with throughput totaling 248,391 TEUs, a 4.7 percent increase compared to 2015. That included year/on/year increases of 4.5 percent for imports and 11.7 percent for exports.
Among the containerized cargos handled at Conley are seafood, apparel, footwear, furniture, and beer and wine
"The continued growth and success of Conley has a far greater impact than these remarkable back-to-back records," said Massport CEO Thomas P. Glynn. "The true impact of the strategic planning and investment Massport and our state and federal partners have made can be found in the significant economic impact seen by businesses throughout New England and the region’s access to vital goods."
More than 1,600 businesses in New England currently use the Port of Boston to import and export products. Conley’s throughput is up 32 percent since 2012. By this April,12 of the world’s top fifteen shipping lines will be calling the Port of Boston, up from five just four years ago.
Massport is anticipating another record year in 2017 with the addition in April of new Asia services operated by Ocean Alliance and THE Alliance, respectively.
Conley Terminal, which is owned and operated by Massport, is the only full-service container terminal in New England and already serves seven of the top shipping lines in the world: Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), COSCO Shipping), "K" Line, Yang Ming, Evergreen, Maersk Line and CMA CGM. With the April 2017 service changes, five new shipping lines – Hapag-Lloyd, OOCL, APL, NYK and MOL – will start service to Boston.
This record-setting growth is occurring as Massport makes investments to ensure Conley Terminal remains competitive and able to sustain continued growth. With the help of local and state officials, Massport secured $107.5 million dollars in state funding to build a new berth and procure three larger cranes and a $42 million dollar Federal FASTLANE Grant to maintain and modernize the existing terminal. In addition, a funding partnership between the federal government, state government, and Massport was created to dredge Boston Harbor. In total, $850 million will be invested to ensure Massport can continue to serve the New England importer and exporter community.
Even with record-breaking volume growth, Conley Terminal remains congestion-free, with sustained average truck turnaround times of approximately 31 minutes, according to Massport. The port authority credit its partnership with the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) for a 30 percent increase in crane productivity during the last few years at Conley Terminal.
"Understanding the important role Conley’s continued success has on the economic development of the region has been vital to our focus and vision for the future of the Port of Boston," said Massport Port Director Lisa Wieland. "We are not content to rest on the laurels of these record-breaking years and are dedicated to the ongoing improvements already underway at the Port to ensure Boston – and the entire New England region – remains competitive in the global economy."
Los Angeles: 2016 Container Count Sets Western Hemisphere Record
Container volumes at the Port of Los Angeles reached a record 8,856,782 TEUs in 2016, making it the busiest year ever for a Western Hemisphere port. The port’s previous record, set in 2006, was 8,469,853 TEUs.
The port finished the year strong, with December volumes of 796,536 TEUs, a 27 percent increase compared to December 2015. It was the port’s busiest December and the best fourth quarter in its 110-year history.
This December’s data show increase from last year of 22.6 percent for inbound loads, 25.6 percent for outbound loads, and 23.5 percent for empty containers. Click here for current and past container counts for the Port of Los Angeles.
"I salute our industry stakeholders and thank Mayor Garcetti and the policymakers and agencies at the state and federal level that have supported our various Supply Chain Optimization initiatives over the past year," said Port Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. "To handle this much volume with minimal issues is an extraordinary accomplishment and demonstrates our capability-building efforts here in the San Pedro Bay complex."
Virginia Containers Top 2.65 Million TEUs in 2016
The Port of Virginia® reports container volumes at its Hampton Roads terminals rose 4.2 percent in 2016 to an all-time high of 2,655,705 TEUs. That includes gains for imports and exports of 6 percent and 2.6 percent, respectively.
The port also experienced gains in rail transported containers and box throughput at its Virginia Inland Port. Richmond Marine Terminal (RMT) had its most productive year since The Port of Virginia began leasing the facility in 2010.
In December alone, the TEU count jumped 16.5 percent to 229,624 TEUs, giving the port its eleventh consecutive month with a box count in excess of 210,000 TEUs.
Other December data showing gains from last year were containerized cargo (+15.9 percent), rail containers (+15.2 percent), barged containers (+32.3 percent), truck containers (+15.6 percent) and RMT containers (+55.4 percent). Click here for a full cargo traffic profile.
"Throughout the year we built a significant amount of momentum that is carrying us forward in 2017," said John F. Reinhart, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority. "Our focus now is getting underway with our capacity projects Norfolk International Terminals (NIT) and Virginia International Gateway (VIG), completing and opening the new gate at NIT in June and expanding our rail reach into our market by making use of the National Gateway, CSX’s double-stack route into the Midwest."