Port Address News

The Port of Long Beach, one of the greenest ports in the world, has selected HDR to perform the final design as it moves ahead with its $870 million effort to streamline rail operations and reduce bottlenecks at the second-busiest container port in the U.S.The Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility Project will expand the port’s capability for loading shipping containers directly on rail cars instead of being loaded on trucks for short-haul trips. The expansion and reconfiguration of the existing Pier B railyard will create a staging area for loading freight trains nearly 2 miles long…

The Port of Long Beach sails into 2017 propelled by transformative modernization projects all across the harbor, excellent financial health, an industry-leading record of environmental progress, and a strong commitment to working with the City and neighbors, said Harbor Department leaders Wednesday morning at the annual “State of the Port” event. About 300 industry stakeholders, civic leaders and community members attended the gathering at the Long Beach Convention Center to hear about the Port’s plans to enhance its rail network and other efficiencies to pursue competitiveness in the year ahead. Despite a 2016 that took the shipping industry and the Port into some rough seas…

At the annual State of the Port address hosted by the Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce Wednesday, Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Griff Lynch announced a 100-acre expansion of the Colonel's Island auto terminal, and welcomed Logistec's announcement of the completion of 221,000 square feet of wood pellet storage at GPA's East River Terminal. "The additional 100 acres will allow GPA to grow along with our existing customers, and to attract additional carmakers to the nation's second busiest auto port," Lynch said. Twenty of the 100 acres are paved and in use by Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, while International Auto Processing has leased another 49 acres it will occupy by May 2017.

Port Tampa Bay is spending $21.5 million on a pair of new cranes that will be able to unload bigger container ships, and it is investing millions more to make it easier for trucks and trains to exit the port and be on their way. The cranes will pass beneath the Sunshine Skyway bridge in March and be up and running by May, just before the widened Panama Canal expansion is scheduled to open later this year. With more cargo expected to come to the eastern United States by sea, the port is betting that it can stake a claim to some of the new cargo traffic flowing through the canal. The equipment is on its way to Tampa right now. Officials said the cranes will help open the port up to new business.

Propelled by six consecutive months of rising cargo volumes in the final two quarters of 2015, the Port of Long Beach recovered from systemic congestion and cargo diversion in the first quarter to deliver one of its strongest results on record. For only the third time in its 105-year history, Long Beach topped 7 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units, a standard container unit) during the year. Cargo volume climbed 5.4 percent in 2015 compared to 2014, as the Southern California seaport and its industry partners transformed the challenges of congestion at the start of last year into a scene of free-flowing cargo and record setting months.

The Port of New Orleans has surpassed the half-million mark for twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEU) handled in a 12-month period for the first time, announced Port President and CEO Gary LaGrange during the 29th Annual State of the Port Address hosted today by the International Freight Forwarders and Customs House Brokers Association of New Orleans. “It’s another milestone that comes on the heels of four record years in a row,” LaGrange said. The most recent 12-month container data through September found the port handled 537,285 TEUs, a 13.6 percent increase over the same period one-year ago.

In his first-ever State of the Port address, Port of Long Beach Chief Executive Jon Slangerup on Thursday unveiled plans for congestion-beating smart systems for cargo movement and an all-out push to achieve energy resilience for port operations with wind turbines, solar cells and other clean technologies. Speaking to an audience of nearly 900 at the Long Beach Convention Center’s Pacific Ballroom, Slangerup summed up the Port of Long Beach’s achievements in 2014 then gave his expectations for 2015 and beyond, setting high goals for himself and the port.

Port of Long Beach Chief Executive Jon Slangerup on Thursday unveiled ambitious plans for congestion-beating smart systems for cargo movement and an all-out push to achieve energy resilience for port operations with wind turbines, solar cells and other clean technologies, in his first-ever “State of the Port” address. Speaking to a record audience of nearly 900 at the Long Beach Convention Center’s Pacific Ballroom, Slangerup summed up the Port of Long Beach’s achievements in 2014 then gave his expectations for 2015 and beyond, setting high goals for himself and the Port. Slangerup’s address followed welcoming comments by Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, Harbor Commission President Doug Drummond and Harbor Commission Vice President Rich Dines.

Houston’s Port Commission Chairman Janiece Longoria delivered the 2014 State of the port address in early November. Completing her second year, chairman Longoria reported to a capacity crowd of almost 500 people that the Port of Houston Authority (PHA) is enjoying business success, also stressing PHA’s efforts to carry out its mission of economic development, with continued commitments to safety, maritime education, environmental stewardship and the community. Longoria stated…

Economic development wins, new services and expanded agreements have resulted in record operating revenues and strong, double-digit cargo growth in 2014, Port President and CEO Gary LaGrange said during the annual State of the Port Address hosted by the International Freight Forwarders and Customs Brokers Association of New Orleans today. “Through a lot of hard work by your Port and with the help of Louisiana Economic Development under the guidance of Secretary Stephen Moret and many of our economic development partners…

High-tech cranes, bigger ships, cleaner skies and more jobs ― that’s the way Al Moro, Acting Executive Director of the City of Long Beach Harbor Department, summed up the Port of Long Beach’s 2013 and the expectations for the year just started, at Thursday morning’s biggest-ever State of the Port address. Harbor Commission President Doug Drummond introduced Moro with his own hopeful outlook for 2014 during the annual event, which this year drew an audience of more than 700 at a downtown Long Beach hotel.

Port of New Orleans President and CEO Gary LaGrange cited numerous Port and industry-wide accomplishments, while challenging local business leaders to think big and act as ambassadors for the maritime community during today’s 27th Annual State of the Port Address hosted by the International Freight Forwarders and Customs Brokers Association of New Orleans at the Marriott Convention Center. LaGrange ticked through a series of best rankings – most notably the No. 1 logistics hub…

Port of New Orleans President and CEO Gary LaGrange will deliver the 27th Annual State of the Port address tomorrow at a luncheon at the New Orleans Marriott Convention Center. The speech is hosted by the International Freight Forwarders and Customs Brokers Association of New Orleans. Gary LaGrange, President and CEO of the Port of New Orleans, will highlight recent successes and focus on opportunities and challenges for the future. From building support for a deeper Mississippi River channel to funding the infrastructure needs of the trade and transportation industry…

In his State of the Port address, Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Curtis Foltz reported record cargo volumes, an influx of new business, and more than 1 million square feet of distribution center space leased or developed. “Not only did the ports authority achieve strong growth across major segments of our business, but the private sector responded with the lease or development of more than 1.1 million square feet of distribution center space,” said GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz.

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), a trade group representing port authorities throughout the Western Hemisphere, has selected 22 seaports to be recognized for exemplary projects, programs and initiatives at its annual awards event later this summer. The awards, for achievements in facilities engineering, environmental improvement, information technology and communications, will be presented to winning ports at a Sept. 14 luncheon in conjunction with AAPA's 100th Annual Convention in Seattle (https://www.aapa2011.org/main.aspx), which runs Sept. 11-15. * the Port of Long Beach, winner of the 2011 Dan Maynard Communications Award for Overall Excellence, which is bestowed on the port earning the most award points in AAPA's Communications Awards Program competition.

Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) Executive Director Curtis J. Foltz announced that Colonel’s Island Terminal marked its highest tonnage volume ever at the State of the Port address. He also outlined actions required to achieve continued growth and prepare the Port of Brunswick for future prosperity. “The Port of Brunswick experienced a remarkable recovery in FY 2010 (July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010),” said Foltz. In FY2010, GPA posted its best year ever for agri-bulk exporting more than one million tons, which was a 37-percent increase compared with FY2009. Soybeans nearly doubled with a 93-percent increase compared with FY2009, as a strong export to Asia. Other commodities included soybean meal, barley malt and wheat.

The Port of Palm Beach will celebrate the grand opening of the new 100,000 sq. ft. Cruise Terminal and Maritime Office Complex on February 11. Festivities will include the inaugural State of the Port Address before local, regional and state dignitaries and a tour of the new Cruise Terminal. The Port of Palm Beach District is an independent special taxing district of the state of Florida. The Port District, located in Palm Beach County and established in 1915 by the citizens of Palm Beach County, covers a land area of 971 square miles. The Port is one of the busiest container ports in Florida and continues to be an economic engine for Palm Beach County.

According to reports, the Port of New Orleans is in dire need of federal and state aid to save some of its most damaged operations and businesses, the port's president and chief executive told the maritime industry in his annual state of the port address. Gary LaGrange said the port is in a battle to retain the nine maritime businesses that operate along the Industrial Canal, a 1,000-acre tract of port property that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Together the businesses generated about 9,000 indirect jobs, LaGrange said. At least one of them probably will have to relocate soon, he said. The port does have several things to celebrate, he said.