Port Development: Corpus Christi, Jacksonville, New York and New Jersey, Tacoma
Port of Corpus Christi Included in the President’s Proposed FY 19 Budget
The
Port of Corpus Christi’s Ship Channel Improvement Project (CIP) was included in the FY 19 Presidential Budget for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Coastal Navigation Construction that was released by the White House
"Investing in this infrastructure expansion project is an investment in the U.S. economy and the leadership of American energy. Our challenge now is to ensure that we have an appropriate level of funds to complete this project in a time frame that ensures the competitiveness of American energy. We look forward to working with our partners at USACE in the days and weeks ahead and commencing next steps of this project as soon as possible," said Sean Strawbridge, Port Corpus Christi CEO.
The President’s budget includes $13 million in funding for port of Corpus Christi’s CIP in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in its civil works budget. Completion of the CIP will allow the Port to increase export volumes of U.S. oil and natural gas, supporting the nation’s allies abroad and bolstering domestic energy production. According to Energy Analysts International, the Port of Corpus Christi exported more than $6 billion of crude oil to U.S. trading partners in 2017 contributing to offset the United States trade deficit.
First-of-Its-Kind Facility Opens in JAXPORT's Foreign Trade Zone
JAXPORT partner
North Florida Warehouse FTZ, a division of JZ Expedited Companies, celebrated the grand opening of Foreign Trade Zone No. 64’s first outdoor storage facility.
The 3.7-acre facility is located minutes from JAXPORT’s North Jacksonville terminals and offers flexible short- and long-term outdoor storage options for a variety of cargo including vehicles, high and heavy, tracked units, project and over-dimensional cargo, containers, breakbulk and more.
The federal FTZ program helps importers efficiently manage cash flow and save a significant amount of money through streamlined U.S. Customs clearance and other efficiencies.
North Florida Warehouse FTZ says the facility offers customers 24/7 access to their cargo utilizing the latest security technology. The facility is adjacent to the company’s 32,000 square-foot North Jacksonville warehouse, which also operates within FTZ No. 64.
Port of New York and New Jersey Cross Harbor Freight Program Enters Second Review Phase
The aim of the Cross Harbor Freight Program is to reduce roadway congestion attributed to goods movement across the New York/New Jersey Harbor.
The Tier II review is expected to take up to three years; it will provide more detailed analysis of the environmental effects and potential mitigation measures for two preferred alternatives identified in the prior Tier 1 study. The two preferred options are construction of a cross harbor freight tunnel and the expansion of the Port Authority’s existing railcar float operation.
The rail tunnel alternative calls for construction of a four-mile freight tunnel running from Jersey City, NJ to Brooklyn, NY under New York Harbor. The railcar float alternative would greatly expand the existing car float system currently operated by New York New Jersey Rail, LLC, a wholly owned entity of the Port Authority since 2008, and would include new transfer bridges, car floats, locomotives and tracks.
The review, which will include extensive outreach to all stakeholders, including elected officials and the public, will provide The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and other regional agencies with cost and benefits of each alternative. The recommended alternative or alternatives would require additional funding for the next phase of development, which entails preliminary engineering.
Port of Tacoma Leases Former Kaiser Site to WWL for Auto Processing Facility
The Managing Members of The Northwest Seaport Alliance also approved a 10-year vessel services agreement to set the rates for the breakbulk services, managed by the alliance.
WWL has called in the Puget Sound region with roll-on/roll-off ships since 1992. The auto processing facility will expand WWL’s marine cargo business in the Pacific Northwest.
The lease includes 90 acres at the former Kaiser Aluminum smelter site in Tacoma, and is estimated to create more than 100 new jobs in addition to the 61 already associated with WWL when the facility is operational, estimated by the end of 2018.
The $35 million facility in Tacoma is expected to process up to 100,000 vehicles a year, most of which will be bound for the local market or transported by rail to the U.S. Midwest. The ships will dock at the 1,200-foot-long East Blair One wharf on the east side of the Blair Waterway.