Marine Link
Friday, March 29, 2024
SUBSCRIBE

Mario Cordero News

04 Mar 2024

Port of Long Beach Opens New Fireboat Stations

(Photo: Port of Long Beach)

Officials dedicated two new Port of Long Beach fireboat stations that are enhancing the Long Beach Fire Department’s waterside and landside emergency response capabilities, better safeguarding visiting ships, cargo and waterfront workers.The facilities – Fireboat Station 15 and Fireboat Station 20 – are the products of a $109 million Port of Long Beach program to preserve business continuity, security and economic interests. With an anticipated lifespan of 50 years, both stations


06 Dec 2023

Singapore, Los Angeles and Long Beach Develop Plans for Green Corridor

Photo courtesy of the Port of Los Angeles.

At COP28, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach unveiled a strategy for a green and digital shipping corridor across the Pacific Ocean.The strategy follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding by MPA, Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach during Singapore Maritime Week in April 2023. The signing formalized the partnership, which is supported by C40 Cities, with the aim of establishing a green and digital shipping


08 Nov 2022

Ports of Singapore and LA, Long Beach to Establish a Green and Digital Shipping Corridor

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), Port of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach and C40 Cities have begun discussions to establish a green and digital shipping corridor between Singapore and the San Pedro Bay port complex. The corridor will focus on low- and zero-carbon fuels for bunkering, as well as digital tools to support deployment of low- and zero-carbon ships.This collaborative effort supports the Green Shipping Challenge launched during the World Leaders’ Summit at the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, this week.

31 Oct 2022

AAPA Elects Strawbridge as Next Board Chairman

Sean Strawbridge (Photo: Port of Corpus Christi)

Trade group the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) elected a new Chairman of the Board of Directors, Sean Strawbridge of the Port of Corpus Christi, last week during its 111th Annual Convention and Expo in Orlando, Fla. Outgoing Chairman Mario Cordero of the Port of Long Beach made the formal announcement during his address to members and attendees.AAPA President and CEO Chris Connor remarked on the transition, "Our work at AAPA is bolstered by the leadership and input of our chairperson and board of directors.

15 Sep 2022

Long Beach Channel Deepening Gets Board Green Light

(Photo: Port of Long Beach)

A critical channel deepening project that will help move cargo more efficiently to and from the U.S. advanced Monday after the Long Beach Harbor Commission concluded an extensive environmental review process and greenlit the endeavor.The work will also allow the port to welcome newer cleaner, and more efficient cargo vessels. The Port of Long Beach and the federal government will share the costs, estimated at almost $170 million. The port’s portion is estimated at $109 million.“By improving navigation in Long Beach Harbor


17 Aug 2022

Pasha's New LNG Containership Makes Maiden Call at Port of Long Beach

(Photo: Pasha Hawaii)

Hawaii-based Pasha Hawaii welcomed the newest member to its containership fleet with the arrival of George III at the Port of Long Beach in California, where she will begin her maiden voyage to Honolulu, Hawaii. This is the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered vessel to fuel on the West Coast and the first to serve Hawaii. The 774-foot containership was built in Brownsville, Texas by Keppel AmFELS, marking the first of two new ‘Ohana Class containerships to join Pasha Hawaii’s fleet


02 Jun 2022

As Shanghai Reopens, California Ports Prepare for Cargo Surge

© aerial-drone / Adobe Stock

California port leaders expect imports to rise as Shanghai, home to the world's busiest seaport, emerges from a two-month COVID-19 lockdown.The question is whether that release of pent-up goods will again swamp West Coast ports that have recently emerged from the pandemic's massive cargo wave, they and other experts said.The Port of Shanghai was open during the city's shutdown, but cargo flows still slowed. Area factories that make everything from Tesla electric vehicles to Apple laptops ran out of components and quarantines idled some truckers.As the city returns to normal


09 Mar 2022

High Powered Networking: AAPA Legislative Summit

© mandritoiu / Adobe Stock

If you’re interested in the inside track in the federal infrastructure world, check out the upcoming Legislative Summit being planned by AAPA – the American Association of Port Authorities, scheduled for March 29-31 at the Washington Marriott at Metro Center.A draft agenda is available and it’s a who’s who of heavy hitters, starting with DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg, whose remarks precede a roundtable session titled “Now We Build!” Another session is titled “How Ports Get to the Front of the Line for Infrastructure Funds.” The speaker is Mitch Landrieu


21 Feb 2022

WRDA 2nd Hearing: A Focus on Project Sponsors

Mario Cordero (Photo: Port of Long Beach)

On February 8, the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, held a second hearing on a 2022 Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA) bill. This hearing was a chance for six project sponsors to impress upon legislators why their projects deserved to be on Congress’ final funding list. These were not random projects. Rather, each sponsor spoke on behalf of one of the projects presented in the January 2022 “Chief’s Reports


27 Oct 2021

LA, Long Beach Announce Fees for Lingering Boxes

© angeldibilio / Adobe Stock

America's top container ports Los Angeles and Long Beach are cracking down on ocean carriers whose containers linger on terminals as clogged U.S. seaports struggle to keep up with record box volumes.Under the new policy, developed in coordination with the Biden-Harris Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force, U.S. Department of Transportation and multiple supply chain stakeholders, and set to take effect November 1, the ports will charge ocean carriers for each truck-bound container dwelling nine days or more and rail containers that sit for three days or more.

17 Sep 2021

Supply Chain Shocks: Ocean Shipping Challenges Abound

Pier 300 Port of Los Angeles. Photo courtesy Port of Los Angeles

Supply chain issues tied to liner shipping have been front page news throughout 2021; just about everyone agrees that there’s a problem. The underlying cause is right out of Economics 101: a surge in demand for moving containerized cargo, in the face of “inelastic” throughput capacity (which includes vessels and their landside interfaces to surface transportation, trucks and rail) that could not handle the swell, attributable to re-stocking of containerized cargo as economic activity recovered from the pandemic induced jolts.

23 Aug 2021

Long Beach's All-electric, Zero-emissions Mega Terminal Completed

(Photo: Port of Long Beach)

The Port of Long Beach announced it has completed a new container terminal, which it ranks as one of the world's most technologically advanced cargo facilitiesThe Long Beach Container Terminal at Middle Harbor is equipped with nearly all electric and zero-emissions equipment designed to improve cargo flow and dramatically enhance air quality amid an era of significant growth at the nation’s second-busiest seaport.“As the world’s first all-electric, zero-emission mega terminal


08 Apr 2021

Global Supply Lines Struggle to Clear Container Backlog After Suez Chaos

(Photo: Port of Rotterdam)

A backlog of container ships carrying consumer goods has grown in some key strategic ports after a near week-long blockage in the Suez Canal, adding to ongoing disruptions to global trade, industry sources say.Dozens of container ships were stuck when the 400-metre-long (430-yard) Ever Given ran aground in the canal on March 23, with specialist rescue teams taking almost a week to free the vessel.The suspension of sailings through the waterway left shipping companies - including container lines - with millions of dollars in extra costs


20 Jan 2021

Swift COVID-19 Vaccines Urged for Largest US Ports Amid Cargo Backlogs

(Photo: Port of Los Angeles)

Members of Congress have joined state and local leaders in urging California officials to hasten COVID-19 vaccinations for workers at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the nation's two busiest, hit hard by pandemic workforce disruptions and surging imports.As of Wednesday, 27 arriving container ships stood anchored off the twin ports complex waiting for berths to clear at terminals piled high with cargo from previous shipments, according to the Marine Exchange of Southern


19 Nov 2020

US Import Boom is Delaying Cargo at Nation's Busiest Port

(Photo: Port of Los Angeles)

Record cargo imports are causing delays that are rippling from the nation’s busiest U.S. port complex to other parts of the transportation network, port officials and other executives said.Total volume at the Port of Los Angeles hit 980,729 20-foot equivalent units (TEU) in October, up more than 27% versus the year earlier. Loaded imports, which accounted for more than half of shipments, jumped 29% - marking the third consecutive month of robust growth.The typical holiday shipping


09 Sep 2020

Port of Long Beach Reports Best August on Record

(Photo: Port of Long Beach)

A strong start to the peak shipping season led the U.S.' second busiest container port to record its best August in its 109-year history.Dockworkers and terminal operators at the Port of Long Beach moved 725,610 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of container cargo last month, a 9.3% increase compared to August 2019, the port announced Wednesday. Imports rose 13% to 364,792 TEUs and exports were up 1% to 126,177 TEUs. Empty containers shipped overseas climbed 8.5% to 234,642 TEUs.The boost comes at the start of the peak shipping season


14 Aug 2020

Port of Long Beach Reports Its Busiest Month Ever

(Photo: Port of Long Beach)

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.Trade increased 21.1% in July compared to the same month in 2019. The previous single-month record of 752,188 twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEUs), set in June 2018, was surpassed by nearly 900 TEUs.“Supply chain workers at the Port of Long Beach expertly handled a welcome surge in cargo that was brought on due to pent-up demand by consumers,” said Mario Cordero, Executive Director of the Port of Long Beach.

09 Jun 2020

Port of Long Beach Reports Cargo Increase

© Mariakray / Adobe Stock

Cargo shipments rose at the Port of Long Beach in May as the economic effects of COVID-19 started to subside.Some 628,205 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of container cargo move through the port last month, a 9.5% increase from May 2019. Imports grew 7.6% to 312,590 TEUs, while exports climbed 11.6% to 134,556 TEUs. Empty containers headed back overseas jumped 11.4% to 181,060 TEUs.The volume increases come as manufacturing in China continues to rebound from the effects of COVID-19


19 Mar 2020

AAPA Elects Cordero as Board Chairman

Mario Cordero (Photo: AAPA)

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) has elected Mario Cordero, executive director of California’s Port of Long Beach, to serve as the association’s next Chairman of the Board.Cordero will be installed as Chairman on the final day of AAPA’s 2020 Annual Convention, set for September 13-16, in Québec City, QC, Canada. He will assume the AAPA chairmanship from Gary G. Nelson, executive director of Washington State’s Port of Grays Harbor, who began his term on October 15


29 Oct 2019

PoLB Names Heather Tomley as MD

Port of Long Beach (PoLB) informed that the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners voted unanimously to promote Heather Tomley, a widely respected Southern California leader in environmental improvement programs, to Managing Director of Planning and Environmental Affairs for the Harbor Department.Tomley, with the Department since 2005, has served as the Acting Managing Director for the past 12 months while the Port conducted a nationwide search for candidates for the executive position.“Heather has deep experience creating and managing cutting-edge projects that have dramatically improved air quality and earned crucial industry cooperation


16 Sep 2019

Long Beach Port Cargo Volumes Dip in August

The Port of Long Beach last month had the fifth-busiest August in its 108-year history. However, the total of 663,992 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) were handled in August, 2.3% less than a year ago.Imports slid 5.9% to 322,780 TEUs, exports rose 4.5% to 124,975 TEUs and empty containers sent overseas for use in the global supply chain decreased 0.3% to 216,238 TEUs.Long Beach volumes after the first eight months of 2019 are 4,971,407 TEUs, 6.6% down from last year’s record pace.“These results are strong for any North American seaport, but lag behind our record high numbers last year, when retailers shipped goods to beat expected tariffs


30 Aug 2019

Long Beach Port Gets Federal Grant

The  U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has given the Port of Long Beach $4.8 million to improve cyber-security.According to a press release from the second-busiest container port in the United States, FEMA Port Security Grant financing was announced earlier this month and will pay to upgrade the Port’s cameras and sensors, and continue its investment in fiber and wireless networks.“Securing the Port requires state-of-the-art technology to monitor activities on land, on the water and below the water,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero.“This grant will help us enhance our domain awareness and maintain our readiness to protect the harbor


12 Aug 2019

Cargo Dips in July at Port of Long Beach

FileImage: Credit POLB

Tariffs continue to hamper trans-Pacific trade.Port of Long Beach cargo volumes last month were down from the previous July, when the number of containers moved through the harbor neared 700,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).The July 2019 total, 621,780 TEUs, was 9.7% less than last year. Imports decreased 9.9% to 313,350 TEUs, and exports shrank 6.8% to 111,654 TEUs. Empties were 11% lower, at 196,777 TEUs.“The trade war is hitting the West Coast hard,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero.