July cargo numbers at the Port of Baltimore show signs of continued economic recovery. A new record was set at the port when 5,536 container moves were conducted by longshore workers handling the Maersk Line’s Maersk Edinburgh vessel, which has a capacity of 13,092 TEUs. July marked the busiest month in the 109-year history of the Port of Long Beach as terminal operators and dockworkers moved 753,081 cargo container units, topping a record set two years ago. The Port of Los Angeles moved 856,389 TEUs in July, the busiest month thus far of 2020. It was also the second-best July in the port’s history, trailing July 2019 by 6.1%. The worldwide pandemic impacted June’s total volume numbers at the Port of New York and New Jersey. In June, the port had 511,306 TEUs (290,454 lifts) compared to 611,027 TEUs (347,294 lifts) in June 2019, a 16.3% decrease in total volume. Import cargo volume increased again at the Port of Oakland last month as U.S. retailers restocked dwindling inventories. Containerized import shipments jumped 6.4% in July compared to 2019 totals, but the news was tempered by a 6.4% decline in July export volume compared to July 2019. The Port of Virginia’s cargo volumes showed strength in July, having grown more than 10,000 units when compared with June. The amount of cargo moving across the port’s terminals in July was 221,028 TEUs, an increase of 10,359 TEUs, or nearly 5% compared with June.

On Friday, U.S. Coast Guard Sector/ Air Station Corpus Christi, alongside local, state and port partner crews responded to the dredging vessel Waymon L Boyd after it caught fire in the Port of Corpus Christi Ship Channel. Information on the search and response efforts is available on Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi’s Facebook page.

The Port of Oakland’s largest marine terminal said it has cut diesel emissions from all 13 of its massive yard cranes by 95% after retrofitting them with hybrid electric engines. Terminal operator Stevedoring Services of America (SSA) said that the project will eliminate about 1,200 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually from each crane. 

The Port of Long Beach announced a new rate to support the transition of the drayage fleet serving the San Pedro Bay ports to 100% zero-emission trucks will be delayed until sometime next year due to the ongoing economic impacts of the U.S.-China trade war and the global pandemic. The Port of Seattle Commission approved an interlocal agreement to restore a segment of Miller Creek in Burien and SeaTac.The joint project will help replace a failing culvert and create 450 feet of new salmon habitat on port property. The Port of Tacoma is one step closer to restoring and reestablishing Lower Wapato Creek into a vibrant tidal wetland and stream complex that will support salmon and other wildlife.

A $5 million expansion of the Port of Greater Baton Rouge’s Inland Rivers Marine Terminal container storage yard is now complete that will accommodate more container shipments to better meet shipping requests from local industry. The yard is now capable of handling approximately 2,000 containers at a time, decreasing truck traffic in favor of container-on-barge service. Watch a short video of the expansion from start to finish.

Port of Oakland's New Maritime Director Shares Outlook
Port of Oakland maritime director Bryan Brandes discusses key projects to help the port through the current global pandemic and grow long-term capacity. In this video update, Brandes shares strategies to secure the Oakland Seaport's future. He points to the opening of a new logistics center, arrival of giant container cranes, and increasing cold storage capacity.

Drive-up testing for COVID-19 is available to dockworkers, truckers and other frontline labor partners at the Port of Long Beach to help ensure a healthy workforce and the safe delivery of essential goods during an unprecedented moment in history. The Port of Los Angeles and the California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) have formed a partnership to help support both organizations’ efforts to manage and further streamline the supply and provision of personal protective equipment during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

The Port of Long Beach is sponsoring “Twilight Cinema,” a series of free drive-in movie nights this summer in conjunction with the City of Long Beach at the Granada Beach and Long Beach Convention Center parking lots. The Port of Los Angeles has awarded grants totaling $1 million in non-taxpayer funds to 29 organizations as part of its fiscal year 2020-21 Community Investment Sponsorship program. Port Saint John and the Saint John Arts Centre announced a landmark sponsorship of a signature gallery space at the Saint John Arts Centre, which has been re-christened as the Port Saint John Gallery for a six-year sponsorship term. The Port of San Diego and the San Diego Port Tenants Association invite the public to participate in the 30th Annual Operation Clean Sweep on August 29. In alignment with COVID-19 state and county public health orders regarding large gatherings, the event will be a socially-distant cleanup.

Just over a year after the Ports of Hamilton and Oshawa amalgamated, the Port of Oshawa is attracting investment, and building new awareness of its critical role as a gateway to the Greater Toronto Area. The Port of Los Angeles has approved a $51.9 million construction contract for the Wilmington Waterfront Promenade Project on the LA Waterfront, with construction expected to start in fall.

The National Waterways Foundation (NWF) has commissioned and released waterways profiles for the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin. The new state inland waterways profiles and data methodology used is available online. NWF worked with Cambridge Systematics, Inc. on the state waterways profiles using the National IMPLAN economic model to estimate the economic impacts of each state’s inland waterways system.

Plaquemines Port Harbor and Terminal District and several potential partners signed an exclusive Letter of Intent (LOI) to develop a multimodal state-of-the-art container terminal in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. The signing of the LOI kicks off a six-month due diligence period during which the parties will conduct multiple studies prior to making a final investment decision. The proposed, environmentally friendly container terminal will be powered by a combination of LNG and electricity. 

The Port of Corpus Christi has continued its support for American military readiness, working directly with the U.S. Army in the movement of over 2,500 pieces of cargo. The operation supported the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, which has returned stateside following a nine-month deployment in Germany.

Construction began for the South Port Connector Road, a critical project aimed at improving urban traffic and access to the Port of Brownsville. The $25.6 million project is made possible by a partnership of the Brownsville Navigation District, along with county, regional and state government agencies. A new truck staging facility opened in Delta, B.C, making room for up to 140 trucks, including early arrivals to the Deltaport container terminal at the Port of Vancouver. This will help to address long-standing road safety concerns in the Delta community when port-destined container truck queues reach more than 15 trucks along the Roberts Bank causeway.

The Alabama State Port Authority’s short line railroad has been recognized for achievements in safety. The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association awarded two of its prestigious President’s Awards to the Alabama State Port Authority’s Terminal Railway – Alabama State Docks. The Northwest Seaport Alliance’s commitment to best-in-class service earned its fourth consecutive Quest for Quality Awards from Logistics Management. Winners were selected by the magazine’s readers—the buyers of logistics and freight transportation services. 

The Port of Seattle Commission approved another two years of funding for Washington Maritime Blue, a non-profit strategic alliance formed to foster maritime innovation and sustainability in support of an inclusive blue economy.

Chair Professor of Supply Chain Analytics, Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies, Hong Kong, China; Hong Kong Polytechnic University