ISSUE 5 2020 www.fjna.com


Dimensional project cargo gateway for Western Canada www.portofthunderbay.ca


Feature: Intermodalism The Covid Impact on Trucking p.15


Feature: Midwest Inland Ports Prove Their Worth p.18


In this Issue


News


Flexible barge solu- tion at the Harbor of New York p.3


Second Newcastle Max Calls at Port of Mobile


The Alabama State Port


Authority (ASPA) received another Newcastle Max bulk carrier loading a record 135,484 short tons (122,909 metric


tons) metallurgical of grade coal


export at


its McDuffie Coal Terminal. The Newcastle Max class bulk carrier, NSU VOYAGER, matches the previous record bulk ship to call the port measuring 984.2 feet (300 meters)


in length overall


(LOA) and has a width of 164.3 feet. All her cargo loaded at McDuffie


consisted of


Alabama metallurgical grade coal bound for Asian markets. Rick Clark, deputy ASPA


director and COO, noted the increased Newcastle Max calls match increasing Post- Panamax vessel


calls into


Mobile, in part due to ongoing infrastructure investments. “We’re rapidly achieving our goal to deepen the channel


to -50 ft. draft, and shippers are seeking ports where they can soon leverage capacity opportunities,” he said. The U.S. Army Corps of


Engineers and ASPA recently signed the project agreement to let channel construction contracts by year-end 2020. “When our channel is deepened, the Newcastle Max will be able to load far more tonnage, generating more capacity and better rates to


service international market opportunities,” said Clark. The harbor improvements,


along with ASPA’s recent terminal investments, technology and personnel training primarily serve coal and containerized shippers using the larger bulk and container vessels. “The ability of the Port


team to handle this larger class of vessel in an efficient and effective manner is a tribute to our customers, assets and staff,” said Bernard Scott, manager of McDuffie Terminal. “It takes a team effort, and in today’s


Cargo Declines at Ports of Long Beach, Los Angeles in June


The COVID-19 pandemic continued


to drive down


demand for goods in the second quarter of 2020, leading to an increase in canceled sailings and a decline in cargo containers shipped through the Port of


Long Beach in June. Dockworkers and terminal


operators moved 602,180 TEUs in June, an 11.1% decline compared to June 2019. Imports shrank 9.3% to 300,714 TEUs and exports dropped 12.2% to 117,538 TEUs. Empty


containers shipped overseas to Asia were down 13.1% to 183,928 TEUs. Economic


uncertainty


brought by decreased consumer spending and ongoing health concerns amid the COVID-19 epidemic


contributed to a drop during the first half of 2020, with cargo shipments at 3,433,035 TEUs, 6.9% less than the same period last year. “Canceled


sailings


continued to rise at a rapid rate in the second quarter as ocean


challenging markets, this is something to celebrate.” Alabama’s metallurgical


coal market is in demand and on the


upswing with


nearly $1.4 billion in recent or planned mining investments. Alabama’s low sulfur, high quality coking coal is ideally suited for steel makers. Currently, Alabama holds about 4 billion tons of economically recoverable coal reserves, with 80 per cent of those reserves comprised of metallurgical grade coal, according to a 2019 Auburn University at Montgomery economic impact study.


carriers adjusted their voyages to a decline in demand for imports during the national COVID-19 outbreak,” said Mario Cordero, Executive Director of the Port of Long Beach. “The economic


challenges may


persist for some time, but the Port of Long Beach continues to invest in infrastructure projects that will meet the needs of our customers.” The San Pedro Bay ports complex – Long Beach and L.A.


Cargo theſts to spike, warns TAPA p.8


+ our regular


From the Editor p. 4 Logistics Roundupp.2


Road & Rail Roundup p. 5 Shipping Roundupp. 6 Airfreight Roundup p. 8


combined – had 41 canceled sailings in the first half of 2019. This year it was 104 – 37 of which were destined for the Port of Long Beach. Canceled


sailings projected to are significantly


recede as the traditional holiday peak shipping season ramps up during


the third


quarter. The San Pedro Bay ports anticipate five canceled voyages over the next three


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