GULF COAST PORTS\\\ >> 12


have been p o s i t i v e l y


affected by the reduced embargoes with China.” The official added the


port’s roll-off/roll-on (RO/ RO) or high and heavy cargo is down slightly since 2019- 2020. “This is related to the slowing of manufacturing and demand from consumers due to COVID-19 – our BMW OEMs have been running about 50% of normal capacity. However, we are currently seeing the levels beginning to resurge, thanks to BMW imports.” Galveston sits on a small


three-mile island and is not ideal for cargo throughput. “We are in the process of working through our new strategic master plan that increases revenue through the cruise industry and reinvests in infrastructure for our west cargo complex,” said the official. “These plans include new berth construction and repairs, slip fills, rail access to the waterfront and a new internal transportation system through the port.” As of June, the Port of


Galveston is Green Marine certified – an environmental certification program for the North American marine industry. It is a voluntary, transparent and inclusive initiative that addresses key environmental issues through its performance indicators.


Port of Port Arthur. The Port of Port Arthur is 19 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, located on the Sabine Neches Waterway that connects to inland waterways, highways, railroads and pipelines. Cargo at the Port of Port


Arthur is gaining momentum in 2021 compared to 2020. “Our tonnage overall was down 4% this past summer due to two major hurricanes,” said Anthony Theriot, Director of Trade Development. “Even though the pandemic was in full force, it did not slow the port down. With good safety procedures in place, the port was able to work each day with very little disruption.” Theriot said the port


is


seeing increases in forest products and aluminum, and a decrease in project cargo from previous years. Dimensional lumber


has surged in demand due to the pandemic home


Issue 5 2021 - FBJNA


13


the entrance to Tampa Bay, Port Manatee is the closest US deepwater seaport to the Panama Canal. Port


Manatee has been


steadily increasing its cargo volume, according to Carlos Buqueras, Executive Director. Through April 2021, the port’s overall tonnage is up by 5%, container TEU count is up 75% and dry bulk tonnage 23%. Re g ardin g type of cargo,


14 >>


Port Manatee is nearing completion of an $8.3 million project to double its dockside container yard size. (Port Manatee photo.)


improvements, new home construction in Texas and surrounding states and mill production cuts. Wood pulp has shown increases due to consumer demand and market change. “The pandemic has shaken up the market for paper products, which set the stage for a rebound compared to 2020,” Theriot said. He adds the decrease


in project cargo from the petrochemical industry is because of low demand for petroleum products, cuts in capital spending and to save on cash amid the COVID 19 pandemic – all delayed because of economic conditions. The Port of Port Arthur


will complete its 600-foot expansion to Berth 5 this summer and then once completed, work will start on Berth 6 to extend it to 1000 feet. Theriot said this will convert Berth 6 to a crane- capable, pile-supported wharf that includes a tied- back bulkhead and a cargo- handling laydown area. It should be completed in two years. The port will also


replace aging critical port infrastructure including the deconstruction and removal of a metal-clad dockside transit shed, reconditioning of a concrete slab, the erection of a building providing useable storage and a covered area for all-weather truck and rail loading.


Florida


Port Manatee. Located in the eastern Gulf of Mexico at


A 20% efficiency gain in container operations at the Port of Greater Baton Rouge is just one positive outcome of the Port’s new, deep-reach container stacker known as The Big Red Beast.


With a telescopic boom for stacking 4 containers high, shorter loading and unloading times have helped meet the increasing demand for container shipping services between Baton Rouge and New Orleans for area customers in the petrochemical industry sector, said Port Executive Director Jay Hardman.


Financed almost 100% by a Maritime Administration grant, the one-of-a-kind Beast was designed and manufactured specifically for the Port by Taylor Machine Works of Louisville, MS. The addition of the custom-made stacker is another component of the Port’s recent expansion of its successful container operations including the addition of a 1.5-acre container storage yard.


Up to 2,000 containers ready to Geaux! For more information, contact Greg Johnson at (225) 342-1660.


2425 Ernest Wilson Drive • P.O. Box 380 • Port Allen, LA 70767-0380 PH: (225) 342.1660 • FAX: (225) 342.1666 • www.portgbr.com


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