Georgia was well-represented earlier this week when Vice President Joe Biden paid a call on Panama, touring that country’s $5 billion-plus project to expand the Panama Canal.
Among the group invited to join the vice president and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx aboard Air Force 2 for the quick, two-day visit were Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, both outspoken proponents of the plan to deepen Savannah’s harbor from 42 to 47 feet to accommodate the larger ships expected to come through the expanded canal.
In fact, the last time the four were together was in September, when Biden came to Savannah to see for himself the impact Georgia’s ports have on the country’s economy. The vice president was suitably impressed, vowing to help move Savannah’s project forward.
“In the next 12 years, the volume of trade is expected to double,” Biden told the Savannah crowd two months ago as big ship-to-shore cranes worked a massive container ship behind him. “Some 75 percent of the world’s commerce comes and goes in the bellies of these big ships, and these ships will continue to come in increasing numbers.
“No, folks, this is not a partisan issue — this is an economic issue.
“And we are going to get this done, come hell or high water.”
Isakson said he was quick to remind the vice president of those words on this latest trip.
“I didn’t really need to, though,” he said. “The vice president gets it. He’s not a convert, he’s a long-time believer. This trip to Panama focused on the ships that will be coming through the completed canal in 18 months and the need to improve the infrastructure at U.S. ports so we can take full advantage of those bigger cargo loads.”
The Panama Canal expansion is expected to be complete by mid 2015. While the $662 million Savannah Harbor Expansion Project won’t be finished by then, it’s important to start digging as soon as possible, Isakson said.
“Right now, we have ships sitting at anchor off the coast of Savannah, waiting for a favorable tide window to come in to port. When we are deepened, as many as 88 percent of those ships will be able to come right in,” he said. “In an industry where time is money, that’s critical to staying competitive.”
The trip was Isakson’s first to the Panama Canal and left him “more committed than ever” to seeing Savannah’s harbor deepening project to fruition.
The delegation also included U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schulz of Florida, Mayor Michael Nutter of Philadelphia and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake of Baltimore.
2014 Logistics Summit shaping up
The sixth annual Georgia Logistics Summit, set for March 18-19 next year, is already shaping up to be the best ever. And that’s saying something, considering last year’s summit drew a record 2,090 registered participants from 30 states and nine countries to the Georgia World Congress Center to connect and learn how to grow their businesses.
The lunch keynote speaker will be Kevin Jones, WalMart’s vice president of inbound transportation. He will talk about how the world’s largest retailer leverages not just imports but exports and domestic transportation in order to cost-effectively serve its millions of customers every day in 11,000 stores around the globe.
New for 2014:
• Expert Sessions: Topics in Tomorrow’s Supply chains — six breakout sessions hosted by leading expert firms focused on a range of individual topics/trends.
• An expanded business friendly agenda that includes sessions on manufacturing and international logistics.
• Three new industry-focused opportunity sessions: Imports - Exports – Domestic.
• Enhanced sponsorship opportunities providing greater value and visibility at a wider range of levels.
Registered summit attendees also gain instant access to two major industry trade shows being held the same week at the World Congress Center – MoDEX and SCT.
For more information, go to www.georgialogistics.com/logistics-summit.
Senior business reporter Mary Carr Mayle covers the ports for the Savannah Morning News. She can be reached at 912-652-0324 or at mary.mayle@savannahnow.com.
SHIPPING SCHEDULE
These are the ships expected to call on Georgia Ports Authority’s Garden City and Ocean Terminals in the next week. Sailing schedules are provided by Georgia Ports Authority and are subject to change.
Terminal Ship name Arrival
GCT NICOLAS DELMAS Today
GCT ZIM PIRAEUS Today
GCT SEATTLE EXPRESS Today
GCT MAERSK DANANG Today
GCT PRIMAVERA Today
GCT COSCO VENICE Today
GCT MSC ILONA Today
OT GRANDE MAROCCO Today
GCT MSC ASYA Saturday
GCT CMA CGM EIFFEL Saturday
GCT EVER DECENT Saturday
GCT ALBERT MAERSK Saturday
GCT WASHINGTON EXPRESS Saturday
GCT UASC JEDDAH Saturday
OT TAMERLANE Saturday
GCT ZIM HAIFA Sunday
GCT OOCL VANCOUVER Sunday
GCT KOBE EXPRESS Sunday
OT CLIPPER MARISSA Sunday
OT ATLANTIC IMPALA Sunday
OT STAR ISTIND Sunday
GCT HYUNDAI GRACE Monday
GCT MAERSK DENVER Monday
GCT AL FARAHIDI Monday
OT TIJUCA Monday
GCT ZIM CONSTANZA Tuesday
GCT MOL ENDURANCE Tuesday
GCT MSC TOKYO Tuesday
GCT SEOUL EXPRESS Tuesday
GCT HANJIN VALENCIA Tuesday
GCT NEW YORK TRADER Wednesday
GCT CAFER DEDE Wednesday
GCT MOL PROFICIENCY Wednesday
GCT LIONS GATE BRIDGE Wednesday
GCT NYK JOANNA Wednesday
GCT MAERSK ALTAIR Wednesday
GCT MSC MAEVA Thursday
GCT SAFMARINE BANDAMA Thursday
GCT MAERSK IOWA Thursday
GCT CSAV LUMACO Thursday
GCT CLIPPER LANCER Thursday
GCT ZIM BEIJING Thursday
GCT NYK RUMINA Thursday
OT CHIPOLBROK STAR Thursday