“The terminal and vessel backlogs that occurred in San Pedro between July 2020 and August 2021 were the result of a cumulative collapse of the entire logistics supply chain.” The above statement is the conclusion of a report to the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) by Martin Associates, a consulting company that in October, presented a deep-dive analysis into the Los Angeles and Long Beach container and logistics problems. The federal government has been trying to zero-in on a quagmire that not only threatened Christmas, but presents serious economic and inflationary issues. One major effort started in September when the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) published a request for information (RFI) about restoring “resilience in the freight and logistics sector.” The RFI was prompted by a President Biden executive order issued…
But as negotiations continue, major ports aren’t waiting to be approved for federal funding. They’re already engaged in, and/or are planning projects to improve their infrastructures in order to become or remain capable of handling the largest ships bringing consumer goods to the U.S. from Asia. Pacific Maritime Magazine surveyed most of the largest ports on the West Coast about their projects, and here’s what they said. Port of Long Beach In an interview with Pacific Maritime, Port Executive Director Mario Cordero touted two recently completed infrastructure projects that he said have already helped increase productivity and reduce port congestion. “We are ready to complete the last phase of our mega-project, which I describe as the state-of-the-art container terminal, the Long Beach Container Terminal,” he said. The 311-acre LBCT facility,…
The Port of Los Angeles has recently finished almost $1 million in improvements to the terminal run by SSA Marine, including a new roof for the breakbulk terminal building at Berths 54-55, new lighting and doors, the port revealed March 10. The terminal is a significant processor for Chilean produce such as grapes and stone fruit and handles as much as 90,000 metric tons of produce every winter, according to the port. The building serves as the main staging space for the refrigerated goods before they are sent to markets and distribution facilities as far as Texas and Canada’s border, the port said. “Being equipped to handle breakbulk shipments efficiently for our customers is an important priority at our port,” stated port cargo marketing manager Marcel van Dijk, who oversees…
Matson, Inc. was delivered its second Kanaloa Class combination container/roll-on, roll-off vessel, the Honolulu-based carrier announced Friday. The new 870 foot-long vessel, Matsonia, was one of a pair of Kanaloa Class con-ro ships constructed by General Dynamics NASSCO. It joins sister ship Lurline, which was put into service last January. Both weigh more than 50,000 metric tons, feature an enclosed garage large enough to accommodate about 500 vehicles, plus room for rolling stock and breakbulk cargo. Matsonia and Lurline, as well as Philly Shipyard-built container vessels Daniel K Inouye and Kaimana Hila, are key in Matson’s efforts to modernize its Hawaii service, the company said. "Putting four new ships into service in a three-year span is a significant accomplishment that culminates eight years of planning, project management and coordination for teams across many departments at Matson," said…
Commissioners at the Port of Everett recently passed the Marine Terminals Master Plan Addendum, Appendix E, which includes the newly obtained 66-acre former Kimberly-Clark mill property, now called Norton Terminal. Norton Terminal will be key to the port’s Mills to Maritime effort to bolster and diversify cargo movement and economic activity in the area. “This revised plan is ideally suited to leverage the Port’s investments in the South Terminal to market our facilities and our breakbulk niche to other customers and cargoes,” said Carl Wollebek, Chief of Operations for the port. “This additional upland maritime capacity is critical to our ability to go after cargoes that would add jobs and help spur economic recovery in Everett.” After the site’s environmental remediation is completed by the former property owner, the new…
Over the summer, Honolulu-based carrier Matson, Inc. christened Matsonia, one of a pair of Kanaloa Class vessels, at General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego. The 870-foot-long, 114-foot-wide vessel is a combination container/roll-on, roll-off ship and among the biggest constructed in the country, according to the company. With a top speed of 23 knots, the 50,000-metric-ton ship will also be one of the fastest in Matson’s fleet. It will be able to accommodate 500 vehicles and have enough room for rolling stock and breakbulk cargo. It will also be environmentally-forward and features a “fuel-efficient hull design, environmentally safe double hull fuel tanks, fresh water ballast systems and the first Tier 3 dual fuel engines to be deployed in containerships regularly serving West Coast ports,” according to Matson. "The construction of Matsonia represents over…
The Northwest Seaport Alliance handled 240,671 TEUs in May 2020, a 23.8-percent decrease compared to May 2019. Full imports declined 22.9 percent while full exports decreased 15.5 percent. Through the first five months of 2020, overall container volumes declined 18.8 percent compared to 2019. The NWSA handled a total of 1,277,227 TEUs year to date, marking the softest five months since 2009 when the gateway moved 1,210,284 TEUs. The economic fallout from the global pandemic continues to disrupt supply chains across the country and around the world. The NWSA gateway experienced a total of 46 blank sailings through May, driven by COVID-19-inspired slowdowns and the lingering trade dispute with China. The Northwest Seaport Alliance’s total year-to-date domestic container volumes dipped 6.3 percent. Alaska and Hawaii volumes declined 6.6 percent and…
In Alaska and Hawaii, maritime companies operate as a vital link to communities geographically separated from the contiguous 48 states. Whether it is delivering everyday essentials such as food and fuel or the necessary materials to build hospitals and schools, these maritime firms use their know-how and resources to move what’s vital in a timely manner to areas that are at times tough to reach by vehicle. Here’s a look at some West Coast maritime companies and how they’re serving the regions of Alaska and Hawaii: Cook Inlet Tug & Barge Cook Inlet Tug and Barge – the longtime marine transportation company with deep experience in Port of Anchorage and Cook Inlet, Seward, Southeast Alaska, Aleutian Islands, the North Slope, and Western Alaska – continues to invest in the region…
This week, Foss Maritime headed to the Port of Los Angeles to pick up two gantry cranes, formerly installed at the Everport Terminal, that will be used at the Port of Everett’s upgraded South Terminal. The cranes are a key component of the $57 million modernization project, which will allow the port to accommodate the next generation of over-dimensional cargo, including aerospace parts for the new 777X. “The completion of this upgrade will add another full-service berth at the Port to accommodate project, bulk, breakbulk, high and heavy and containerized cargoes,” said Carl Wollebek, the port’s chief operating officer. “We are excited to be able to add this additional option to our current and future customers.” The South Terminal dock has been strengthened to support the 2,400 tons of cranes,…
