A special delivery has finally arrived earlier this month at the Port of Everett. Two container cranes made their way on a barge towed over 11 days by Foss Maritime from the Port of Los Angeles to Everett, where it was tied up at Pier 3 before being moved to South Terminal for transfer. Last week, the cranes were rolled from barge to wharf and stored for maintenance and upgrades, according to the port. When the $57 million South Terminal Modernization project is finished, the cranes will be placed in operation there as the key equipment for handling the next…

On Saturday, Honolulu-based Matson, Inc. and General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard celebrated the christening of Lurline, the largest combination container/roll-on, roll-off ship ever built in the US. At 870 feet long, 114 feet wide (beam), with a deep draft of 38 feet and more than 50,000 metric tons, Lurline is the first of two new ships being constructed by NASSCO for about $500 million total and the third of four new ships to come online 2018-2020, according to Matson. And with a top speed of 23 knots, it will also be among the company’s fastest, “ensuring on-time deliveries in Hawaii from Matson's three West…

Improving air quality continues to be a priority for the Port of Oakland, whose commissioners earlier this week passed a plan aimed at dramatically reducing diesel and greenhouse gas emissions stemming from maritime operations at the port. The Seaport Air Quality 2020 and Beyond Plan is a 259-page blueprint that “calls for changes in equipment, operations, fuels and infrastructure at the seaport,” including making port fleet vehicles and equipment to zero-emission, putting in electric infrastructure at terminals; and looking at cleaner fuels and other renewable sources of power, according to the port. “The Port’s Seaport Air Quality 2020 and Beyond…

The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will update the public on the San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan 2017 Update’s progress on June 25 in Wilmington. It is the second of four meetings to discuss the CAAP 2017 Update, the latest version of the twin ports’ original 2006 blueprint for addressing the environmental impact of maritime business operations. The update calls for a number of ambitious emissions-curbing measures, including a goal to lower greenhouse gases “40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.” The meeting is set from 10…

The American Association of Port Authorities will co-host its first Workforce Development Summit on June 25-27 in Long Beach. The association will partner with the Port of Long Beach, Long Beach City College and TransPORTS, the US Department of Labor-endorsed industry intermediary aimed at growing registered apprenticeship in ports and the multi-modal transportation, distribution logistics industry across the US. “Our industry faces increasing challenges in filling port-related jobs that require highly skilled or specialized technical training,” said Mary Beth Long, AAPA’s vice president of external affairs. “The pool of viable candidates to fill these jobs is diminishing as other industry…

Honolulu-based Matson Inc.’s board of directors recently announced a third quarter dividend of $0.22 per common share, a 4.8 percent increase from the previous quarter's dividend. Shareholders on record as of Aug. 1 are expected to be paid on Sept. 5. "We are pleased to announce the seventh consecutive annual increase to Matson's quarterly dividend, underscoring our Board's confidence in our long-term free cash flow growth as well as our commitment to rewarding shareholders through dividends," said Matson's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Matt Cox. "Over the course of the Hawaii fleet renewal program we have prudently managed our debt…

Despite trade uncertainties, cargo volumes were up 9 percent at the Port of Oakland last month, according to the port’s latest numbers. The port handled about 85,964 imported TEUs in May, a 4.2 percent increase from the same time last year, and 78,070 exported TEUs, an 8.4 percent jump from May 2018 numbers. Last month marked the third consecutive month of improving import and export cargo volumes for Oakland, which at the moment appears to be bucking expectations of lowered numbers as a trade war between the U.S. and China is ongoing. “Logic tells us that at some point, tariffs…

The Port of Long Beach saw cargo volumes down 16.6 percent last month to 573,623 TEUs, according to recent statistics. Long Beach handled 290,568 TEUs in imports, a 19.5 percent drop from May 2018, and moved 120,577 TEUs in exports last month, a 15.3 percent decline. Empty containers also fell 11.7 percent to 162,479 TEUs last month. The numbers were challenged by May 2018’s historic high and various factors affecting international trade. “One year into the trade war, escalating tariffs have pushed retailers to order goods early, warehouses are brimming with inventory as a result, and in response, ocean carriers…

The Port of Everett is inviting the public to a Strategic Plan Update Open House on June 20 to find out more about its effort to form its vision for the future. Stakeholders attending the open house can learn more about the port’s key initiatives at booths displaying the port’s past, present and future projects, including projects related to the seaport modernization, the Waterfront Place Central mixed-use development, industrial developments at Riverside Business Park, environmental cleanups and a sneak peek of the new Hotel Indigo expected to open this summer. Port officials are also seeking feedback on potential economic development…

The Port of Los Angeles reported its busiest May in its port history, handling 828,662 TEUs last month, according to new numbers released Tuesday. That’s a 7.8 percent increase from May 2018 and beats the prior record set in May 2018, when the nation’s busiest seaport moved 796,217 TEUs. Los Angeles also handled 427,789 imported TEUs last month, 5.5 percent more than last May, while it moved 167,357 TEUs of exports, a slight dip of 0.8 percent. Meanwhile, empty containers rose 20 percent to 233,515 TEUs last month compared to May 2018. “I’m extremely pleased with another record month of…