While showing optimism in general, a diverse group of ocean transportation leaders speaking at the American Association of Port Authorities’ Planning for Shifting Trade Conference have some genuine concerns as well.

On the heels of a record performance in 2017, the Port of Montreal has moved an important step further to establish a sixth container terminal, located at Contrecoeur, where there is an existing bulk shipping facility 25 miles away on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River.

In late December 2017, Port Newark Container Terminal LLC (PNCT) secured $298 million in tax exempt bond proceeds that will be used to refinance existing debt and to finance the ongoing development of the terminal.

Chris Lytle, executive director, Port of Oakland told AJOT in an interview that “the Port has been approached by three carriers, raising the possibility of Oakland becoming the first U.S. Pacific Coast port of call.

Increased investment in U.S. transportation infrastructure is being urged as the American Association of Port Authorities’ 11th annual Planning for Shifting Trade Conference gets under way today [Jan. 30] in Tampa, Florida.

Craig Mack, director for C.H. Robinson, a third-party logistics provider based in Minnesota, told AJOT that the company’s San Bernardino, California facility is helping expand distribution of fruits and vegetables while continuing to increase imports of grapes from Peru and Chile as well as fruits and vegetables from Mexico.

Transportation industry leaders are being encouraged to be open to new ideas as Jump Start ’18, presented by SMC3, gets into gear today [Jan. 22] in Atlanta.

In an interview, Mario Cordero, executive director of the Port of Long Beach, told AJOT that the Port has “re-established the same annual container volume in 2017 that it had processed before the 2008 recession.”

In January, Hong Kong-based SVA (Steve Vickers and Associates) issues its annual Asia Risk Assessment which handicaps the comparative political and economic risks for each nation or territory in the region.

As early winter’s deepest freeze in many years hampered normal shipping operations on the St. Lawrence River, the Port of Montreal announced record performances in 2017 total and container cargo. The occasion was the special annual ceremony on Jan. 3 honouring the captain of the first ocean-going vessel to reach the port in the new year.