The FY 2020 Appropriations Act appropriated $1 billion to be awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) for the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development, or BUILD, Transportation Discretionary Grants program. Funds for FY 2020 BUILD grants are awarded on a competitive basis for planning and capital projects that will have a significant local or regional impact. The application deadline is May 18, and the Federal Register notice provides additional information about submitting eligible and competitive applications. To provide technical assistance to stakeholders, USDOT is hosting a series of webinars during the FY 2020 BUILD grant application period. To register and for more information, visit the BUILD webinar series webpage at https://www.transportation.gov/BUILDgrants/outreach.

Come to the Spring Conference and while you're there register for the Annual Convention in Québec, Sept. 13-16, to receive a $100 registration discount and a chance to win a $250 VISA gift card. You must register on site at the Spring Conference in Washington, D.C., March 17-19, to be eligible for $100 off the Annual Convention registration fee and be entered into the gift card drawing.

Port Everglades Navigation Improvements Project to deepen and widen the port’s navigational channels can now begin with $29.1 million in funding under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers FY 2020 Work Plan. Port Freeport received a “new start” designation for commencement of construction under the Corps FY 2020 Work Plan, which includes $19 million in funding for the Freeport Harbor Channel Improvement Project (FHCIP). Global restaurant supplier Argentina-based Axionlog has selected the Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) as the port of choice to ship all of its U.S. manufactured exports bound for Latin America. The Port of Long Beach will update the public on the Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility Program during a community meeting March 4. The Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility is the centerpiece of the Port of Long Beach’s $1 billion rail program.

The Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore recorded another record-breaking year in 2019. Among the highlights, the Port of Baltimore handled a new record 43.6 million tons of cargo, including more than 11 million tons of general cargo at the state-owned public terminals for the first time ever. The Port of Los Angeles moved 806,144 TEUs in January, a 5.4% decrease compared to last year. January imports decreased 3.5% to 414,731 TEUs compared to the previous year. After 14 months of consecutive declines due to tariffs on U.S. goods, exports increased 2.2% to 148,206 TEUs. The Port of Santos set a new record for container movements for the month of January, handling 338,476 TEUs, an increase of 2% over the previous record of 331,748 TEUs in January 2018, and 16.2% compared to 291,295 TEUs last year.

The Port of Halifax announced the 2020 cruise season in Halifax will start on April 11 with the arrival of Norwegian Star, a Norwegian Cruise Lines vessel. The season will run until November 3, and the port is expecting 203 vessel calls carrying approximately 350,000 cruise guests. Carnival Cruise Line announced that it has signed a five-year agreement with the City of Norfolk to operate seasonal cruises from the Half Moone Cruise Center through 2025.

Fitch Ratings has affirmed its ratings on Port of Oakland debt. The agency announced ratings for senior lien revenue bonds at ‘A+', intermediate lien revenue bonds at ‘A’, and underlying bank bonds for the port's commercial paper notes at ‘A’. Fitch said the ratings were based partly on the strength of the port’s diverse revenue streams and a healthy San Francisco Bay Area market.

Los Angeles Port Police, joined by Harbor Commissioner Lucia Moreno-Linares and Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka, held a christening ceremony for a new 43-foot patrol and dive vessel. The vessel, equipped with advanced navigation gear, night vision, wireless communications as well as nuclear, chemical and biological detection equipment, will be used for specialized dive team operations as well as general patrol of the Port of Los Angeles.

Two shipping terminals at the Port of Long Beach are putting new, zero-emissions equipment known as top handlers through the rigors of operating in a real world environment to test their ability to meet the challenging duty cycle at a busy seaport.

Port Tampa Bay and Ports America recently hosted the 31st annual Tampa Steel Conference. This year’s event saw more than 225 participants from all areas of the steel industry. Speakers represented experts from the steel industry who provided updates on the steel market heading into 2020, how U.S. Trade Policy affects imports and exports, and an economic outlook of Florida’s booming population and business growth. 

The Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach will strengthen collaborative measures in the areas of cargo movement efficiency, connectivity, workforce development, cybersecurity and metrics under an agreement approved by their respective Harbor Commissions.