Despite ongoing talks and no work stoppages to date, shippers’ reactions to the lack of a contract between dockworkers and management on the West Coast continues to be a plus for Savannah and other major container ports along the eastern Seaboard.
The contract between the Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union expired on July 1, prompting concerns about potential disruptions that could affect back-to-school or holiday merchandise.
“Negotiations have made progress and retailers have been stocking up, but there’s still cargo that needs to arrive before the holiday season kicks off,” said National Retail Federation vice president Jonathan Gold. “Retailers are making sure that consumer demand during the holidays will be met.”
Perhaps the most vivid indication of how much freight has shifted from one coast to the other is in the accompanying chart from the Global Port Tracker, a monthly update from the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.
Plotting the change in July 2014 import volume for each major port compared to both the month before and July 2013, the graphic clearly illustrates retail shippers’ preferences.
The combined import volume at major West Coast ports decreased 36,000 container units from June to July this year and posted a scant 1 percent increase over July 2013 volumes.
In contrast, the combined import volume at major East Coast ports was up by 74,000 boxes, a 12.6 percent increase from the previous month. Total East Coast import volume for July was 661,000 containers, up 11.9 percent over July 2013.
Of course, the question remains as to how many of these shippers will stay with their fallback ports once a contract on the West Coast is ratified.
Local volumes strong
Imports at the Port of Savannah rebounded strongly in July to produce a best-ever month for Georgia Ports Authority — with 122,000 loaded import containers representing a 20.2 percent jump over June and a 28.6 year-over-year gain.
Overall, when export containers are added to the mix, GPA moved nearly 294,000 container units — a 19.2 percent increase over the previous year.
Add to that the prediction by Gov. Nathan Deal earlier this week that the Project Partnership Agreement between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the state of Georgia will be signed by the end of the month, putting dredges in the water before year’s end, and it looks like GPA exec Curtis Foltz will have plenty of good things to say in his state of the ports speech two weeks from now.
“Georgia and its congressional delegation have diligently and patiently worked to see this (harbor deepening) project through to fruition — a project that is vitally important for economic development and job creation not only in the Southeast, but nationally as well,” Deal said.
“We have been in regulatory purgatory for far too long, and it’s time to start moving dirt.”
The cost-sharing agreement is the last hurdle the two entities must clear before contracts to dig can be awarded.
GPA earns national award
Georgia Ports Authority has won a national nod from the American Association of Ports Authorities for Environmental Enhancement. The GPA’s winning entry was “Voluntary Diesel Reduction Through Investment in Equipment.”
“The GPA has voluntarily undertaken many projects to decrease diesel fuel consumption, resulting in improved air quality,” said Foltz. “Some of those projects include our innovative eRTGs or electric rubber tired gantry cranes, the repower of diesel RTGs with variable alternators and the retrofit of 11 switch locomotives by GPA’s partner, Rail Link.”
Earlier this year, GPA was recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency as a leader in reducing carbon emissions.
Senior business writer Mary Carr Mayle covers the ports for Savannah Morning News and savannahnow. Reach her at 912-652-0324 or 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 ZIM LUANDA Today
GCT APL AGATE Today
GCT WEHR SINGAPOREToday
GCT PARTICI Today
GCT AUGUSTA KONTORToday
GCT MAERSK DAMIETTAToday
GCT CMA CGM DALILAToday
GCT HANJIN ELIZABETHToday
GCT NYK FURANO Saturday
GCT MAERSK OHIO Saturday
GCT YORKTOWN EXPRESSSaturday
GCT GOLDEN GATE BRIDGESaturday
GCT EVER LISSOME Sunday
GCT MSC STELLA Sunday
GCT MAERSK DENVER Sunday
GCT ZIM BARCELONA Sunday
GCT SCT ZURICH Sunday
GCT TSINGTAO EXPRESSSunday
GCT ALBERT MAERSK Monday
GCT HYUNDAI INTEGRALMonday
GCT XIN NAN SHA Monday
GCT YM KAOHSIUNG Monday
GCT AL RAIN Monday
GCT NYK JOANNA Monday
OT TUGELA Monday
GCT MSC ILONA Tuesday
GCT KAAN KALKAVANTuesday
GCT APL EGYPT Tuesday
GCT NYK DENEB Tuesday
GCT MSC BRUXELLES Tuesday
GCT ATLANTA EXPRESSTuesday
OT MORNING CARA Tuesday
OT ATLANTIC ELAND Tuesday
GCT HS BACH Wednesday
GCT SHIPPAN ISLAND Wednesday
GCT CMA CGM MANETWednesday
GCT DALIAN EXPRESS Wednesday
GCT HANJIN DURBAN Wednesday
OT NONA BULKER Wednesday
GCT CMA CGM L’ETOILEThursday
GCT HS LIVINGSTONE Thursday
GCT ERNEST HEMINGWAYThursday
GCT MSC SHAULA Thursday
GCT MSC TAMARA Thursday
GCT STADT GERA Thursday
GCT GLEN CANYON BRIDGEThursday
GCT DS PATRIOT Thursday
OT WHITE FIN Thursday