Speakers at the event included U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, U.S. Senator Cory Booker, N.J. Congressman Albio Sires, N.J. Congressman Donald Payne Jr., City of Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, Exssex County (NJ) Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, Port Authority of NY/NJ Deputy Executive Director Deborah Gramiccioni, and PNCT President/CEO James Pelliccio.

PNCT President James Pelliccio welcomed the dignitaries, PNCT customers, vendors, employees, ILA leadership and friends. “PNCT wants to recognize the extraordinary efforts of the city, county, state and federal governments and the Port Authority of NY/NJ in their support of PNCT, its board of directors, shareholders, employees and labor force in this successful investment undertaking,” Pelliccio said. “Since 2011, PNCT and its shareholders have invested more than $140 million into the development of this facility. And, although today’s event originally was planned as a ceremonial ribbon cutting to commemorate the commissioning of our newly acquired super-post-Panamax gantry cranes, it has become much more. As a result of the efforts of many, we are able to announce the early opening of our expanded rail operations, the completion of the newly constructed Rail Flyover Bridge and the advancement of the Port Newark Terminal Expansion Project, supported by the recently awarded $14.8 million Federal Tiger Grant.”

U.S. Transportation Secretary Foxx addressed the gathering by renewing his commitment to push for greater investments in infrastructure.

“It’s a big day for the Port of Newark: This groundbreaking comes on the heels of a $15-million-dollar TIGER grant that DOT awarded this port last month. As a nation, we’re going to have to move almost twice the amount of freight we move now by 2050. And this grant will better position the port to handle that volume. It’ll help trucks move in and out of the port faster – and help the port handle more cargo here. This is a great day for Newark. And this project is worth celebrating.”

The newly dedicated cranes have impressive statistics. Each crane’s weight is 1300 L.T. and has a lifting capacity of 65 L.T. (80 LT with cargo beam), a hoist height of 144 feet and an outreach of 191 feet. The $40 million cranes are capable of handling 14,000+ TEU vessels, 22 wide, with a 65-ton twin 20-foot lifting capacity. Accommodating these larger vessels will improve the terminal’s capacity and efficiency, thereby contributing toward greater economic growth in the region.

In addition to the cranes, PNCT currently is undergoing major improvements, including the development of additional acreage, deepening the berths, strengthening the docks, expanding the queuing area and upgrading capital equipment. PNCT has completed the upgrade of its entire fleet of container-handling equipment. As one of the largest infrastructure projects in New Jersey, PNCT is investing more than $500 million in its expansion before 2030. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will invest up to an additional $100 million in improvements to the PNCT facility.

Recently, PNCT was awarded a U.S. Dept. of Transportation TIGER VI 2014 Discretionary Grant (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) in the significant amount of $14.8 million for its Port Newark Container Terminal Access Improvement and Expansion Project, which will demolish outdated warehouses and gate facilities and construct a new paved container storage area and new gate facilities. In order to qualify for this grant, PNCT had to demonstrate the project meets federal criteria, which includes areas such as reduction of pollution and congestion as well as contribute toward economic development. This is part of an overall $53.9 million project, largely funded through private investment, to double the port’s gate capacity, increase container yard capacity by 23 percent, improve overall service levels, increase port productivity and cut truck transaction times by as much as half. Additionally, the project will generate good-paying full-time and construction jobs.

PNCT currently holds close to 20 percent of the market share in the Port of New York and New Jersey. The Port of New York and New Jersey, the largest container port on the East Coast, is the first call port for crossing the Atlantic. It accounts for 61 percent of container throughput in the Northeast, with projected growth rates through 2022 estimates between 3 and 4 percent compound annual growth rate, raising the port volumes to almost 8 million TEU. Additionally, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is raising the navigational clearance of the Bayonne Bridge by 2016, allowing these new larger vessels to transit and call the major container terminals. For additional information, please visit.

The “Temporary Empty Container Depot” will be operated on 30 acres of a vacant, undeveloped area on Pier S on Terminal Island.

The temporary depot will help put back into circulation more of the chassis — the wheeled trailer-frames that trucks use to haul cargo containers. Because many terminals are congested due to the current peak in cargo volume and have no room to accept empty cargo containers, more space is needed to temporarily store those empties. The temporary empty container storage depot will provide a location for truckers to deliver empty containers and remove them from a chassis, and then use the chassis to pick up and haul loaded containers to their destination.

The depot will be operated by a private company, Pasha Stevedoring and Terminals, under a permit that will expire at the end of March 2015.

“The depot could be ready to start accepting empty containers in two weeks, which would bring some needed relief to our tenants and the entire supply chain,” said Jon Slangerup, Port of Long Beach Chief Executive. “This will help correct the chassis supply imbalance.”

The depot is one of several measures the Port is pursuing to relieve the congestion issues that have come with the surge of cargo in the last two months. A busy peak shipping season, the advent of larger ships and a change in the ownership system for chassis fleets brought congestion to many seaports this year.

“We hear our customers loud and clear. This congestion is not acceptable, and the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners is ensuring that the Port of Long Beach is doing everything it can to see that we clear up these issues now and forever,” said Doug Drummond, President of the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners.

In addition to the depot, the Port has identified a plan to operate its own chassis fleet for peak cargo shipping seasons and peak demand. Long Beach also facilitated the introduction by private chassis fleets of an additional 3,000 chassis into the local area.

And Harbor Department leadership continues to work with stakeholders to gather data, facilitate solutions and speed cargo flow throughout the supply chain.

The Port of Long Beach is one of the world’s premier seaports, a gateway for trans-Pacific trade and a trailblazer in goods movement and environmental stewardship. With 140 shipping lines connecting Long Beach to 217 seaports, the Port handles $180 billion in trade annually, supporting thousands of Southern California jobs.

The Georgia Ports Authority announced today that its terminals in Brunswick and Savannah moved a combined 2.79 million tons of freight in October, a record for the authority.

“Strong growth across all key sectors of our business is an indication that our ports are reaching a larger and more diverse customer base,” said GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz.

For the fiscal year to date, the GPA has moved 10.28 million tons, up 7.2 percent or 694,045 tons.

Savannah’s Garden City Terminal handled a record 311,759 twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs) in October – a 13.6 percent increase (37,432 TEUs) compared to the same month a year ago. For the fiscal year to date, the GPA has moved 1.2 million TEUs, an increase of 13.1 percent, or 138,554 TEUs, over the same period last year.

Other records set in October include the highest number of truck gate moves at Garden City Terminal (213,445), and the most containers moved via intermodal rail (31,238). The Port of Savannah’s on-terminal rail yards are served by two Class I rail providers, CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern.

Meanwhile, the autoport in Brunswick has moved 224,197 roll-on/roll-off units this fiscal year. Combined with vehicles moved via Savannah’s Ocean Terminal, that number climbs to 232,009 units, a 3.4 percent increase for the fiscal year. Total Ro/Ro volumes for October equaled 63,218 units, a 1.4 percent increase over October 2013.

“GPA’s ability to handle record volumes with speed and efficiency is a powerful tool for economic development in the Southeastern U.S.,” said GPA Board Chairman James Walters. “In order to accommodate continued growth, we are taking proactive steps to increase our capacity from 4.5 million TEUs per year to 6.5 million.”

At today’s board meeting, the GPA approved construction of Gate 8, a $10.2 million project that will serve as the third major truck interchange at Garden City Terminal. Infrastructure design and planning for the new gate are currently in final draft. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2015.

(GPA photo/Stephen B. Morton)