Some 85 percent of that total, or 2.03 million tons, was in containerized cargo. Containerized tonnage grew by 8.3 percent compared to March 2011, for an increase of 155,308 tons. The total tonnage number beats the previous record set in October 2010, while the previous container tonnage record was set in April of last year.

“Record volumes for Georgia’s deepwater ports are good news for our region and its economic future,” said GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz. “We are cautiously optimistic about continued market recovery that will spur additional manufacturing and distribution opportunities.”

For Fiscal Year 2012 through March, the GPA has handled 19.5 million tons of cargo, an increase of 280,035 tons over the same period in FY2011. Of that total, container traffic accounted for 16.5 million tons in 2.2 million twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs), with an export to import ratio of 53.71 percent to 46.29 percent.

Total vessel calls across all terminals reached 203 in March, an increase of 20 over February’s 183 vessel calls.

In addition to its strong showing in containerized cargo tonnage, the GPA also noted continued growth in auto/machinery units. The March 2012 figure of 57,001 units constituted a 30 percent increase over the same month in 2011 (at 43,841 units), and a 79 percent increase over March 2010 (31,844). For the fiscal year to date, the Port of Brunswick has handled 388,192 units.

“The Port of Brunswick is the third busiest U.S. port for auto imports, behind only Los Angeles and Newark,” Foltz said. “Brunswick’s diverse carrier fleet, superior location and ample space provide the GPA’s automotive clients a vital link to Europe and other global markets.”

A delegation from the Aqaba Container Terminal (ACT) in conjunction with the Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC), representing Jordan’s Port of Aqaba, the second-largest container port on the Red Sea, is actively seeking to build ties with the Iraqi business community in order to promote Aqaba as the preferred gateway for goods on their way to Jordan’s eastern neighbor.

“Our port facility in Aqaba is the smartest, safest way to get goods in and out of Iraq” stated ACT’s Vice President of Operations Amin Kawar.

While the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has forecast a 4.2% economic growth rate for the Middle East and North Africa in 2012 overall, the Iraqi economy has been projected to expand by 11.1% this year and by 13.5% in 2013 with a commensurately increasing need for access to cargo transportation services and infrastructure.

At a Mideast trade conference, ACT’s Chief Executive Officer Soren Hansen also emphasized the advantages provided to shippers by Aqaba, describing Jordan’s only port as “an efficient, cost-effective option for businesses moving cargo throughout the Levant”.  The Kingdom of Jordan, bordered by Israel, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia in the Middle East, has 26 km (16 miles) of coastline at the northern tip of the Red Sea, on the Gulf of Aqaba. Slightly smaller than Portugal in area, Jordan has a population of 6.5 million, and a 2011 GDP of $28.4 billion USD. ACT’s container volume surged by 16.2% in 2011 to 705,000 TEUs.

“Our growth at ACT is heavily driven by the trade to and from neighboring counties, including Iraq” said Hansen.

In 2011, transit cargo handled at ACT increased by 63% to over 100,000 TEUs as a $235 million USD major terminal expansion project nears completion. Improvements include a 14.5 meter depth alongside, and a 460 meter doubling of the quay, which will increase annual container throughout capacity to a projected 2 million TEUs when fully completed and equipped next year. A 550 km (340 mile) rail link from Aqaba to the Iraqi border town of Traibil, which would provide connections to the planned domestic Iraqi rail network, was approved by the Jordanian government in August 2011.

“We are seeing more and more businesses in Iraq and Saudi Arabia now viewing Aqaba as a long-term, sustainable element in their supply chain”, noted Hansen.

ACT is a joint venture between the Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) and APM Terminals, operating under a 25-year build-operate-transfer agreement signed in 2006.

Most of the cranes will be delivered to Global’s container terminal in Jersey City in 2013. This is Konecranes’ second ASC delivery to the USA; Konecranes has previously delivered ASC cranes to a container terminal in Virginia. The parties have agreed not to disclose the value of the order.

With the Statue of Liberty visible in the distance, Global’s Jersey City terminal is the closest container terminal to the harbor entrance of the Port of New York/New Jersey. In order to serve its customers better, Global is modernizing and replacing equipment, and expanding the berth space at the terminal. It will continue to be the only terminal in the area that can handle the larger container ships that will start coming through the widened Panama Canal in 2014.

“This order further reinforces our strong position in the global container handling business, and continues our success in America,” says Jussi Suhonen, General Manager, RMG Cranes, Konecranes. “Our automation reference in Virginia is one of the leading references in the industry — if not the leading reference to date. I am very pleased that another American container terminal operator has decided to adopt our automation solution. Automation is an important investment trend in the industry, and interest in our solution is clearly growing.”

Pete Giugliano, Global’s Vice President of Engineering, had the following to say: “After a detailed evaluation, we believe that Konecranes provides the optimal solution for our project needs. Their technology and customer-focused approach are significant differentiators compared to other companies we evaluated. Several of our team members were involved in the successful deployment of the Konecranes RMG cranes in the Virginia project. We look forward to setting the new standard by taking these ASCs to the next level of speed and reliability with Konecranes on the team.”

With a lifting capacity of 40 tons, the ASC cranes can stack one over five containers high and nine wide. They are equipped with automation controls and Konecranes’ Active Load Control (ALC) system. ALC combines advanced sway control and horizontal fine positioning, providing very efficient container handling in the ASC yard, both automatically and remotely. This is especially true in the transfer areas and inside the stack, where placement tolerances are always present.

Greater efficiency and reduced operating costs are two major advantages of the Active Load Control system. It contributes to a lower energy requirement because it allows a lighter crane structure. It also eliminates trolley and gantry inching, reducing cycle times and energy consumption. The Konecranes ASCs will be interfaced with Global’s existing Terminal Operating System.

Port Everglades is the top seaport in Florida for trade with Colombia, which totaled more than $1 billion in FY 2011, representing 54 percent of Colombian trade through all of Florida’s seaports last year.

This trade mission coincided with the announcement on Sunday by President Barack Obama and Colombian President Santos Juan Manuel Santos that the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement will enter into force on May 15, 2012. The agreement will expand exports of U.S. goods by more than $1.1 billion and provide duty-free access for U.S. goods in sectors from manufacturing to agriculture. The Agreement supports the President’s National Export Initiative goal of doubling of U.S. exports over five years. It will also enhance the competitiveness of both small and large U.S. businesses in Colombia’s growing economy.

The delegation was on a trade mission from Colombia and included Sandra Paola Hurtado, Governor of Quindío, Colombia; Luz Piedad Valencia Franco, Mayor or Armenia, Colombia; Guido Echeverry Piedrahita, Governor of Caldas, Colombia; and John Edgar Perez-Rojas, Mayor of Quimbaya, Colombia. Also joining was Fernando Escobar, President of International Trading Center in Miami, and Fabio Andrade, President and CEO of the Americas Community Center Inc. in Weston, Florida.

Broward County Commissioner Chip LaMarca presented the business leaders with “Keys to the County” for their official visit.

“We’re always happy to host such events, especially if these events bond the connection we already have, as we do with Colombia, one of Florida’s top Latin American trading partners,” said Commissioner LaMarca. “Port Everglades holds the distinction of being the top in Florida for trade with Colombia. The Airport’s fourth largest international market is Colombia.”

The delegation was scheduled for other stops as part of the Mission’s itinerary in South Florida and was pleased to have a well-rounded agenda that included both ports and airports.

“It’s very important that relationships could be built, not only with the federal government but also at the local and regional levels,” said Fabio Andrade, President and CEO of the Americas Community Center Inc. “It is a great opportunity to network and to build relationships with Port Everglades, the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and these regions in Colombia now that the Free Trade Agreement has been signed.”

As one of South Florida’s leading economic powerhouses, Port Everglades is the gateway for international trade and cruise vacations. Already the second busiest cruise port in the world, Port Everglades is also one of the nation’s leading container ports. Port Everglades is also South Florida’s main seaport for receiving petroleum products including gasoline, jet fuel and alternative fuels. The Port Everglades Department is a self-supporting Enterprise Fund of Broward County government with operating revenues of approximately $139 million in Fiscal Year 2011 (October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011). It does not rely on local tax dollars for operations. The total value of economic activity at Port Everglades is approximately $15.3 billion annually. More than 160,000 Florida jobs are impacted by the Port, including over 11,300 people who work for companies that provide direct services to Port Everglades. More information on Port Everglades, which is governed by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners, is available on the Internet at www.porteverglades.net  or e-mailing PortEverglades@broward.org.