NEWS REVIEW
US WEST COAST PORTS SEE VOLUMES HIT A summary of the results being reported by ports in the US for 2019 is showing there was a divide by coast, with the West Coast seeing a decline compared to 2018 due to concerns over the US-China trade war, while the East and Gulf Coast facilities generated improvements due to lower exposure to trade with China. In more detail, the San Pedro complex saw a decrease for 2019 for both Los Angeles (-1.3%) and Long Beach (-5.7%). Looking at the specific numbers, for 2019 Los Angeles recorded a total of 9.34 million TEU, which compared to 9.46 million TEU for 2018 and stopped the port surpassing the 10 million TEU barrier for the first time. The other port in California, Oakland, provided a similar story, with a fall of -1.8% in handling 2.5 million TEU in 2019 and 2.55 million TEU one year earlier in 2018. In comparison, Long Beach feel back below of the 8 million TEU level in 2019, with the 7.63 million TEU recorded down on the 2018 figure of 8.09 million TEU. A similar position occurred in the US Pacific Northwest, with the Seattle-Tacoma ports handling 3.78 million TEU for 2019, down on the 3.8 million TEU for 2018 and reflecting a decline
Box traffic up in Panama
of 0.6%, so smaller than generated further south on the western seaboard. For the major container ports not on the West Coast the position in 2019 was more positive, with gains recorded. New York/New Jersey remains the largest container volume ports on the US East Coast and its 2019 total of 7.47 million TEU was a 4.1% rise on the 7.18 million TEU handled in 2018. Likewise, Savannah increased its throughput to 4.6% in 2019 compared to 4.35 million TEU in 2018 (+5.7%), while Norfolk saw a
8 US West Coast ports were impacted by trade war concerns in 2019
rise from 2.86 million TEU to 2.94 million TEU (+2.9%) and Charleston enjoyed growth of 5.2%, from 2.31 million TEU to 2.44 million TEU in this same two-year period. Growth was even more impressive for Houston on the Gulf Coast, which saw its 2018 total of 2.7 million TEU improve to 2.99 million TEU for 2019, up by 10.6%, and the port will expect to surpass the 3 million TEU level for the first time in 2020.
TCP POSTS RECORD 2019 AFTER SUCCESSFUL DRIVE Terminal de Contêineres de Paranaguá (TCP) has posted record throughput figures for 2019, of 915,242 TEU, following a commercial drive to attract more shippers from the neighbouring states of Sao Paulo and Santa Catarina. The increase of 12.5% over the 2018 figure of 800,000 TEU owes much also to the closure of Libra Terminais in Santos – Brazil’s biggest and busiest port for containers, located some 151 nautical miles away – as this greatly assisted TCP in picking up more transhipment cargoes. Juarez Moraes e Silva, the Institutional Director of TCP, said that a strong commercial push into neighbouring states has harvested rich dividends. “Some parts of Santa Catarina and Sao
BRIEFS
Paulo are closer to Paranaguá than they are to the ports of those states but we are also winning shippers from greater distances, especially in Sao Paulo, because of the congestion and delays at Santos,” said Silva. “Also, as well as strong commercial work, TCP offers the option of the railroad, which directly accesses the primary area of the Port of Paranaguá, reducing logistical steps and, consequently, making the operation more competitive through Paranaguá.” This argument is sound, given that around 15%-20% of containerised cargo through TCP is carried by rail, much higher than the 2%-4% through Santos. Moraes e Silva stated that the release of the new docking berth,
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which took place last November, also influenced the result of 2019. “Our terminal increased its handling capacity by 60% and is now able to simultaneously operate three of the largest and most modern ships of containers,” he explains. Silva added that the sectors with the most growth were reefer (+14% over 2018), pulp and paper (+31%), and automotive (+6%). Paranagua is currently the “Chicken Export Capital of the World” and last year exported more than 110,000 TEU of chicken. For 2020, the forecast is for growth to be above 10%, mainly due to the movement of commodities such as wood, cotton, paper and cellulose, refrigerated cargo and consumer goods and electronics.
The Panama Maritime Authority confirms its domestic ports handled a combined 7.31 million TEU in 2019, against around 7 million TEU in 2018. Noriel Araúz, Minister for Maritime Affairs said, “Our expectations for 2020 are positive, because since the beginning of this administration, we have strengthened ties with important countries that have experience in ports to establish collaboration for the development and implementation of initiatives aimed at boosting the maritime sector.”
Maersk MedMontreal change
Maersk Line is adding a call at the new APM Terminals’ Vado Ligure terminal to its Med Montreal Express (MMX) service. This facility has recently been inaugurated by APM Terminals and now fellow AP Moller company Maersk Line has added a call after Marseille-Fos and Algeciras. Deployment will be five vessels in the 2,200TEU-2,500 TEU range, with the service change in place during early March.
Traction for “Enfidha?”
A new deep-water part at Enfidha in Tunisia may, finally, be seeing some traction. A company has been established in the North African country, with the possibility of initial works starting in 2020, with the aim of phase I operations starting in 2023 or 2024. Longer-term, container capacity of up to 1.6 million TEU by 2026 is being mooted. The publicprivate partnership is expected to consider 60% finding from the state and 40% from private interests.
MARCH 2020 | 11
