As the Port of Savannah waits for passage of the Water Resources Development Act to get the go-ahead for construction on harbor deepening, an announcement coming out of Jacksonville on Thursday could portend good news.
The Jacksonville Port Authority said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has completed a chief’s report on its deepening project, meaning the $684-million project to dig Jaxport’s channel from 40 to 47 feet can now be included in the water bill being finalized in Congress.
That’s significant because Waterways Council President and CEO Mike Toohey told the Journal of Commerce last month that part of the reason Congress hasn’t finalized the water resources bill probably is because legislators are waiting for the Corps of Engineers to finish some near-completed project reviews, including the Port of Jacksonville’s.
Gate glitch gone
The computer glitch at the Georgia Ports Authority gate that twice snarled truck traffic around Garden City Terminal on Wednesday seems to be resolved, according to GPA spokesman Robert Morris.
“The system has been up and running all day without a hitch,” he said late Thursday afternoon.
“Both GPA staff and our IT vendors have been troubleshooting the entire network to help us understand what happened and make sure the problems are resolved.”
Retailers watching West Coast
Last week, when Georgia Ports Authority reported record volumes for March, GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz attributed it to a combination of new customers and retail outlets increasing inventory before the busy summer season.
It seems that trend is poised to continue into this month as the National Retail Federation reports an expected 6.1 increase for April in import volume at the nation’s major retail container ports — including Savannah.
“With winter over, retailers are stocking up in anticipation of a busy spring and summer,” said retail federation spokesman Jonathan Gold, adding that retailers are keeping a close eye on the labor situation at West Coast ports to ensure that cargo moves smoothly.
The current contract for West Coast dockworkers expires June 30, with negotiations not set to begin until May 12. The unspoken rule in West Coast contract negotiations is that talks get underway within two months of the expiration of the existing contract and continue non-stop to — and usually through — the July 1 deadline.
Retailers are keenly aware of that, Gold said.
“Companies are already exploring contingency plans in case of a disruption,” he said.
That could mean even more retail imports headed to the East Coast by mid-summer as U.S. retail sales continue to improve.
“There is positive news with both the rebound in U.S. retail sales in February and the new filings for jobless benefits hitting a fresh three-month low last week, suggesting that the economy is gaining momentum,” said Hackett Associates founder Ben Hackett.
“Our forecast continues to reflect the economic rebound, and we remain convinced that 2014 will have sustainable growth.”
Global Port Tracker, which is produced for the retail federation by Hackett Associates, covers the U.S. ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle and Tacoma on the West Coast; New York/New Jersey, Hampton Roads, Charleston, Savannah, Port Everglades and Miami on the East Coast, and Houston on the Gulf Coast.
Senior business reporter Mary Carr Mayle covers the ports for the Savannah Morning News and savannahnow. She can be reached at 912-652-0324 or at mary.mayle@savannahnow.com.
Shipping schedule
Following are the ships expected to call on Georgia Ports Authority’s Garden City and Ocean terminals this week. Schedules are supplied by GPA and are subject to change.
TERMINAL VESSEL ETA
GCT YM MOBILITY Today
GCT PRAIA Today
GCT SAFMARINE BANDAMA Today
GCT AKINADA BRIDGE Today
GCT MAERSK DANANG Today
GCT OOCL SEOUL Today
GCT APL AGATE Saturday
GCT CMA CGM KINGFISH Saturday
GCT CSAV LLANQUIHUE Saturday
GCT CMA CGM CORAL Saturday
GCT ENDEAVOUR Saturday
GCT MSC CHARLESTON Saturday
GCT HYUNDAI INTEGRAL Saturday
GCT VECCHIO BRIDGE Saturday
GCT UASC JEDDAH Saturday
GCT MSC MARTA Sunday
GCT BARGE KIRBY 22750 Sunday
OT STAR LAGUNA Sunday
GCT FRISIA ROTTERDAM Monday
GCT SUDAIR Monday
GCT ATLANTA EXPRESS Monday
GCT MAERSK HARTFORD Monday
GCT WASHINGTON EXPRESS Monday
GCT RIO THOMPSON Monday
GCT MOL EXCELLENCE Tuesday
GCT ZIM RIO GRANDE Tuesday
GCT EVER DIVINE Tuesday
GCT CMA CGM TANCREDI Tuesday
GCT SAFMARINE BANDAMA Tuesday
GCT KAAN KALKAVAN Tuesday
GCT NYK DAEDALUS Wednesday
GCT MSC METHONI Wednesday
GCT MSC BREMEN Wednesday
GCT BOSTON TRADER Wednesday
GCT MOL MAESTRO Wednesday
GCT KRISTINA Wednesday
GCT SEA-LAND EAGLE Thursday
GCT ZIM SAVANNAH Thursday
GCT SEOUL EXPRESS Thursday
GCT ZIM BARCELONA Thursday