REGIONAL REPORTWEST COAST NORTH AMERICA
transport operations manager Kevin Reese said the volume of both awarded and projected work in this sector has decreased during the past 12 months. “Nearly all of the work we handle is imports. Under such market conditions, strategic positioning of manpower and equipment is critical to our operational efficiency.” The Port of Stockton, located on a
deepwater channel 75 miles (120 km) inland from San Francisco, is ideally positioned to serve project moves, primarily imports, to the heart of California and the western USA. Peter Grossgart, marketing manager, also noted Stockton’s short line rail connections to the BNSF and UP railways, and quick access to major interstate highways connecting markets throughout the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Largest sectors Grossgart said power generation and distribution shipments have been the largest sectors served of late. “We are handling wind equipment, generators and transformers. We have also seen increases in large equipment for manufacturing facilities in northern California and the western USA. We have been seeing increases in unit weights, but dimensional increases have been somewhat limited due to clearance issues for some of these moves. Our assets include a pair of mobile harbour cranes with 144-tonne lift capacity, substantial laydown areas, and a skilled and experienced workforce.” The port is improving access to Interstate
5 (I-5) and installing a modern four-lane bridge to its West Complex, replacing a 1940s-era structure. Planning is under way
to convert all perimeter roads in the complex to overweight capacity, easing heavy truck access to the I-5 and other freeways. As a river port, maintaining channel and berth depths is a continual challenge, but Grossgart said Stockton recently completed West Complex berth dredging to 35 ft (10.6 m). “It is the first time we have been at project draught in 50 years, and has really enhanced our ability to serve larger project cargoes.”
Port strengths The Port of Longview, Washington, is 66miles (100 km) inland – the first operating port on the deep channel Columbia River. Laurie Nelson-Cooley, business manager,
cited Longview’s strengths in serving project customers. “Three of our eight berths are specifically structured for breakbulk and project operations. Two mobile harbour cranes, dock trailers and forklifts, and sizeable adjacent laydown space also serve this sector. We have 366 m (1,200 ft) of double trackage on-dock allowing for direct moves to and from rail services including BNSF and UP. And we are in close proximity to Interstates 5, 205 and 84 – enabling shipments to and from the USA and Canadian West, and east as far as Chicago and beyond.” Nelson-Cooley said Longview’s mix is
We have been seeing increases in unit weights, but dimensional increases have been somewhat limited due to clearance issues for some of these moves. – Peter Grossgart, Port of Stockton
www.heavyliftpfi.com
largely imports with wind turbine shipments, brewery tanks, transformers and Solvay process degassers on the list of growing cargo volumes. “We have had a good 2016 and expect that to continue in the coming year. Electricity generators and transformers and heavy equipment have been strong as well. Transformer weights have been increasing, as have the lengths of wind blades – some up to 161 ft (49 m) and
Longview has created a foreign trade zone to serve non-domestic shippers of large cargoes while modifying its gate systems to improve cargo clearances.
– Laurie Nelson-Cooley, Port of Longview
requiring tandem crane lifts for discharge.” In addition to investments in harbour
cranes and equipment and rail resources, Nelson-Cooley said Longview has created a foreign trade zone to serve non-domestic shippers of large cargoes while modifying its gate systems to improve cargo clearances. “Our location in Washington and proximity to Oregon, Idaho, California and Canada makes us a gateway for transport of heavy/over-dimensional shipments.” The Port of Vancouver USA,
Washington, is another 35 miles (56 km) east on the Columbia. Alastair Smith, chief marketing and sales officer, rattled off resources and linkages as factors in its market success. “We have two Liebherr mobile cranes
January/February 2017 111
All crane operators at the Port of Vancouver, USA, are being
trained and certified for tandem and engineered lifts.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148
