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Us Census Bureau News

21 Mar 2024

Inland Waterways Focus: The Pacific Northwest Columbia-Snake River System

© Rich / Adobe Stock

"The Columbia River and its tributaries, wetlands, and estuaries are the lifeblood of the Pacific Northwest, providing abundant water, power, recreation, agriculture, transportation and natural resources that have supported livelihoods, cultural and spiritual practices, commerce and economic growth.” - President Biden, Memorandum of September 27, 2023.Those abundant benefits directly impact about 13 million people in the Pacific Northwest. Hydropower extends that plentitude to millions more, powering cities and industry from Idaho to California.

08 Dec 2021

Opinion: A Call for the USNS Walter Munk to Honor America’s Greatest Oceanographer

Walter Munk (center) with the author (left) and his wife Mary (right) at Scripps in 2018. Photo courtesy the Author

In the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, Congress established a commission to rename several military bases and ships that commemorate members of the Confederacy. One of these is the Naval oceanographic ship USNS Maury (T-AGS 66), named after oceanographer Matthew Fontaine Maury, who resigned his commission in the U.S. Navy to join the Confederacy at the outbreak of the American Civil War. The USNS Maury is an asset of the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (NMOC), which I led from 2014-2017.

15 Apr 2021

U.S. Crude Oil Exports: When 'Less is More'

© SHUTTER DIN/AdobeStock

Longer sailing distances cushion fall in US crude oil exportsTon mile demand generated by US crude oil exports has fallen by 9.7% in the first two months of 2021 compared with the start of 2020. The fall could however have been much worse; In volume terms, seaborne crude oil exports have fallen by 18.8%, to 20.9m tonnes, a 4.8m tonnes decline compared with last year, according to data from the US Census Bureau.While seaborne crude oil exports to all regions have fallen, those to Asia are among the least affected, down just 1.0%, or equivalent to one Aframax load (101,088 tonnes).

09 Mar 2021

US Corn Shipments Flirting With All-time Highs

© Jon / Adobe Stock

Record U.S. corn sales, especially those to China, mean that exporters will be extremely busy for at least the next six months. But they no longer need to set new records, as the recent corn shipping pace has sufficiently boosted the efforts.Updated figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Monday placed corn export inspections, a proxy for actual exports, at 2.05 million tonnes for the week ended February 25. That is the second-largest volume for any week behind the one ended Nov. 30, 1989, with 2.3 million tonnes.Market participants have been anxiously watching the pace of U.S.

26 Jan 2021

BIMCO: Tanker Market Hangover Continues

© unikyluckk/AdobeStock

Tanker shipping was in many ways the odd one out of the shipping sectors in 2020; at the start of the pandemic, the market was strong, only to finish off the year in the doldrums, while the other sectors stayed profitable. Even a demand boost in December only managed to lift earnings slightly, raising the question, what will it take for tankers to return to profitability?In the immediate aftermath of the pandemic being declared, tanker shipping appeared immune, but it too has suffered from lockdowns and travel restrictions.

09 Sep 2020

Is China Really on Pace to Help US Soybeans Set New Export Records?

© masterskuz55 / Adobe Stock

China has been buying U.S. soybeans at what seems like a breakneck pace for about two months now, increasing the probability of record U.S. exports to the Asian country over the next year.But while a record volume becomes more realistic as the sales pile up week after week, the lower price of U.S. soybeans relative to most prior years means that less ground is being covered when it comes to the Phase 1 trade deal, which is based on the exported value.Further, it has been only three years since China bought U.S.

17 Aug 2020

China Ramps up US Oil Purchases Ahead of Trade Deal Review

© nevskyphoto / Adobe Stock

U.S. crude oil shipments to China will rise sharply in coming weeks, U.S. traders and shipbrokers and Chinese importers said, as the world’s top economies gear up to review a January deal after a prolonged trade war.Chinese state-owned oil firms have tentatively booked tankers to carry at least 20 million barrels of U.S. crude for August and September, the people said, moves that may ease U.S. concerns that China’s purchases are trending well short of purchase commitments under the Phase 1 of the trade deal.China had emerged as a top U.S.

06 Aug 2020

U.S. Sends First Crude Shipment to Saudi Arabia in Years

Illustration by evgenii/AdobeStock

The United States sent a shipment of crude to Saudi Arabia in June, data from the U.S. Census Bureau showed on Wednesday, in what appears to be the first such delivery since the U.S. ban on crude exports ended in 2015.The United States shipped about 550,000 barrels, or 18,300 barrels per day (bpd), of crude to Saudi Arabia in June, U.S. Census data shows. The U.S. Energy Information Administration has no recorded instances of a U.S. crude shipment to Saudi Arabia.U.S. Census data shows a miniscule 1,000-barrel shipment to Saudi Arabia in 2002.

02 Sep 2019

Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Tops for Jobs

Naval architecture and marine engineering degrees can lead to major job opportunities and high-salary careers. 

(Photo: © Adobe Stock / Aleksandr)

The results of a recent survey conducted by financial services company Bankrate, LLC show that naval architecture and marine engineering take the top spot as the most valuable college degrees in which to major.A total of 162 degrees were covered in the company’s research. Drama and theater arts, on the other hand, were shown to be the least valuable degrees in terms of earning power after graduation. The survey revealed that the overall median income for those trained to build, design and maintain maritime vessels was $90,000 and that less than 2 percent of degree holders were unemployed.

02 Aug 2019

U.S. Crude Exports Reach a Record of 3.16 mln bpd

File image: A crude vessel alongside and loading at the U.S. port of Corpus Christi, Texas

U.S. crude oil exports surged 260,000 barrels per day (bpd) in June to a monthly record of 3.16 million bpd as South Korea bought record volumes and China resumed purchases, data from the U.S. Census Bureau showed on Friday.South Korea surpassed Canada to become the biggest purchaser of U.S. crude at about 605,000 bpd. China purchased about 292,000 bpd, the most since June last year and was the third-largest buyer of U.S. crude in June, the data showed.China, once the top buyer of U.S.

30 May 2018

Macroeconomic Trends Signal Good News for Shipping

© evening_tao / Adobe Stock

The current global economic growth (GDP) looks like it may be as good as it gets, with indicators across the globe signaling healthy expansion, but at a slower pace compared to the levels seen in the last half of 2017.Global economic growth seems on track to reach its highest level since 2011, as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) maintain its projection for the world GDP at 3.9 percent and expects the global economic growth to be supported by a strong momentum, favorable market sentiment and accommodative financial conditions in 2018 and 2019.

26 Jan 2018

Fast-growing Global Trade Boosts Fuel Demand

Freight movements in the United States and around the rest of the world are growing at some of the fastest rates this decade, which should provide a big boost for diesel consumption in 2018. In the United States, the volume of freight moved by road, rail, pipeline, barge and air between September and November was around 6 percent higher than in the same period a year earlier. Freight volumes are growing at some of the fastest rates since 2011, according to the freight transportation services index compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (http://tmsnrt.rs/2DB9aLY). Freight movements are being driven by an increase in coal deliveries to power plants, as well as increases in oil and gas drilling. U.S.

25 May 2017

U.S. Freight Recovery Spurs Diesel Demand

U.S. freight movements have started increasing again, which should help boost consumption of distillate fuel oil in 2017 and 2018. The tonnage of freight moved by road, rail, barge, pipeline and air cargo has been increasing year on year since October, after stagnating for much of 2015/16 (http://tmsnrt.rs/2qSDLAJ). Freight movements hit a new record in February, before slipping slightly in March, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (http://tmsnrt.rs/2rTVx58). Most freight is hauled by equipment that uses diesel engines, or jet turbines in the case of air cargo. Freight is therefore the main driver for consumption of fuels refined from the middle of the crude oil barrel, including distillate fuel oil and jet fuel. The U.S.

05 Aug 2016

US Crude Oil Exports Plunge in June

U.S. crude oil exports plunged by more than 40 percent in June, foreign trade data from the U.S. Census Bureau showed on Friday, after Brent's premium to U.S. crude hovered in a tight band earlier this year. Total exports dropped to 383,000 barrels per day from May's record of 662,000 bpd, according to data compiled by Reuters. Exports to Canada were 280,000 bpd versus 308,000 bpd a month prior. Exports to United Kingdom were 37,000 bpd, nearly unchanged from May. Meanwhile, exports to Curacao were 17,000 bpd, a sharp drop from May's 67,000 bpd. The export declines were likely a result of Brent's May and June contracts having traded in such a tight band to U.S. crude earlier this year. At one point, Brent even briefly traded at a discount. Typically, a wide premium for Brent over U.S.

10 Mar 2016

Sluggish Freight Movements Have Downside Risks

Global distillate markets remain heavily oversupplied but the glut will not clear unless the world economy avoids recession and there is a renewed acceleration in freight demand. Recent data have been mixed. The consumer side of the U.S. economy appears to be strong but the industrial side is still struggling, and in the rest of the world growth appears to be slowing. U.S. freight movements picked up at the start of the year but demand for moving manufactured products and raw materials across the country remains sluggish. Combined freight movements by road, rail, barge, pipeline and aircraft increased in December and January, the first time freight has increased for two consecutive months since November 2014 (http://tmsnrt.rs/1pa8DbM).

21 Oct 2015

GPA to invest $152M in Brunswick

At the annual Brunswick State of the Port event Tuesday, Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Curtis Foltz discussed an ambitious capital improvement plan for Brunswick terminals. "In order to ensure efficient processing of cargo, our capacity must remain higher than current demand," Foltz said. Foltz said that over the past decade, the GPA has spent $46.2 million on infrastructure upgrades at the Port of Brunswick. Over the next 10 years, the Authority plans to more than triple that investment, calling for another $152 million in improvements. In one of those projects, the GPA intends to add a fourth berth to serve roll-on/roll-off cargo at Colonel's Island Terminal. The GPA has submitted a permit request to the U.S.

06 Aug 2015

Sewage Flow is Williston's Oil Bust Indicator

The population of a U.S. oil boomtown that became a symbol of the fracking revolution is dropping fast because of the collapse in crude oil prices , according to an unusual metric: the amount of sewage produced. Williston, North Dakota, has seen its population drop about 6 percent since last summer, according to wastewater data relied upon heavily by city planning officials. They turned to measuring effluent because it was a much faster and more accurate way to track population than alternatives such as construction permits, school enrollment, tax receipts or airport boardings. U.S. Census Bureau figures are usually too old as a full-fledged population count only happens once a decade, with sporadic updates in between.

12 Jun 2015

EIA to Sharpen US Weekly Oil Numbers with Real-time Export Data

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has been granted access to real-time oil export information for the first time, allowing it to improve weekly estimates of fuel demand at a time of intensifying scrutiny of energy data. The change is likely to be welcomed by oil traders who routinely scrutinize the EIA's reports for clues on what is happening in the world's biggest oil consumer, who have long rued the agency's dependence on calculated figures. The appetite for reliable data has taken on added urgency as refined fuel exports doubled since 2010 to about 4 million barrels per day. Every week, the EIA publishes a Petroleum Status Report that includes data on inventories and refinery operations collected directly from energy firms.

11 Dec 2014

Safeguarding GPS When Global Positioning Doesn’t Work

Entrance to the U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center.

Suppose the Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers used for your vessel, offshore oil platform, or port facility could not generate position data needed for your operations. How would your crew or staff respond? Initial troubleshooting efforts may indicate equipment failures, antenna masking, or possibly human error. Additionally, the lack of position data will likely force your crew or staff to resort to secondary means to obtain position information. If position data cannot be regained, then the receivers may have lost GPS due to intentional or unintentional interference.

26 Jun 2014

US, Germany World Cup Match Honored with Trade Statistics

Image courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau

In honor of today’s World Cup match between the United States and Germany, a new graphic from the U.S. Census Bureau shows foreign trade statistics for the top five exports and imports between the two nations in 2013. In 2013, top U.S. exports to Germany included $5.7 billion in civilian aircraft, engines and parts and $5 billion in passenger cars, while Germany sent $25.8 billion in passenger cars and $9.4 billion in medicine and dosage form to the United States. census.gov

08 May 2014

Barge Shipments of Brazil Soy Bound for US Midwest Crushers

Deep discounts for Brazilian soybeans are creating an unexpected new market with U.S. processors and animal producers far upstream in the heart of the Midwest farm belt where the beans will be shipped on barges. While light soybean imports by U.S. users along the Gulf and East Coast are not uncommon, it has been nearly two decades since South American supplies were unloaded at the Louisiana Gulf and towed up the Mississippi River to inland processors. The current trend reverses the usual flow of barge traffic and sees ports around New Orleans which usually load ocean-going ships with beans switching to unloading arrivals onto barges.

25 Mar 2014

Report: Drop in U.S. Steel Imports

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that preliminary February steel imports were $2.6 billion (2.9 million metric tons) compared to the preliminary January totals of $2.7 billion (2.9 million metric tons). The January change in steel imports based on metric tonnage reflected an increase primarily in blooms, billets and slabs and a decrease primarily in reinforcing bars, the Census Bureau said. Increases occurred primarily with Brazil, United Kingdom and India, while decreases occurred primarily with Turkey, Korea and Canada. The year to date final statistics through January 2014 showed steel imports of 2.9 million metric tons compared with 2.4 million metric tons through January 2013.

26 Feb 2014

Positive Trends Mark Start to Port Authority Year

Notable accomplishments in revenue generation, cargo throughput, professional performance and international recognition highlighted today's monthly meeting of the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority (PHA). Executive Director Roger Guenther, in his first meeting since being named to the post, characterized January's numbers as "a very exciting start to the new year" with operating revenue of more than $20 million. Guenther cited across-the-board increases in all major areas of cargo as the driver behind a 3-million-ton month for January, which was 15 percent higher than the year before. A contributor to that January figure was 400…