Container cargo movements through Latin American and Caribbean ports totaled some 48 million TEUs in 2015, an increase from 2014 of 1.7 percent, according to data compiled by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. Strong export volumes through The Northwest Seaport Alliance’s marine terminals in Seattle and Tacoma hint at a better 2016 outlook than predicted, with full containerized exports up 15 percent year to date in April.

Ceres Terminals CEO Patrick Burgoyne and Port Authority CEO Brian Taylor on May 12 signed an operator agreement for the Jacksonville Port Authority’s new Intermodal Container Transfer Facility (ICTF) at Dames Point. Terminal operators at Port Everglades are equipped to help shippers handle the new international container weight verification requirements.

The Port of Palm Beach’s newly released Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for FY 2015 reports the port’s net assets increased by nearly $5.6 million, or 6 percent, from FY 2014. The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) has awarded the Port of Tacoma its Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the port’s 2016 budget document. Fitch Ratings has reconfirmed the ‘A’ credit rating with "Positive Outlook" of Port Tampa Bay’s approximately $81.5 million in outstanding senior bank loans.

Jobs tied to vessel and cargo activity at Port Hueneme are up 25 percent, according to a new economic assessment. 

The Lubrizol Corporation has begun exporting container loads of specialty chemicals manufactured at its Northeast Ohio facility to Europe via the Port of Cleveland and the Cleveland-Europe Express service. The Port of Davisville recently took delivery of Rhode Island's largest ever shipment of wind turbines.

The Lake Charles Harbor & Terminal District is leasing warehouse space and land to Southern Ionics, Inc. The company manufactures and ships products used for wastewater treatment, air pollution control, catalyst manufacturing, drilling mud additives and other industrial applications.

The Port of Long Beach recently awarded 83 community sponsorships amounting to $359,795 for causes such as the arts, environment, social justice and historic preservation. San Diego’s Board of Port Commissioners earmarked funding in its budget to support 83 events during Fiscal Year 2017 as part of the port’s tidelands-activation-program.

Former Boston Mayor Ray Flynn joined elected officials, and children from the South Boston community on May 16 in helping the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) celebrate the 30th anniversary of Cruiseport Boston. The Port of Seattle has 13 grants to support tourism by encouraging some of its nearly one million annual Alaskan cruise passengers to add a few days on either end of their cruise to sight-see in Washington.

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