Working hard to remain the first

At a presentation on board HMS Belfast on London’s River Thames, the bi-state Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) reported a better than expected 2010 with a 16% year-on-year increase in total container traffic with China, India, Italy, Germany and Brazil the Port Authority's largest trading partners. There was also an impressive 22.3% increase in freight forwarded by rail with 376,700 ExpressRail containers handled in the year.


Pointing out that the Port was an old one and outlining the PANYNJ’s determination to continue its aim of bringing its facilities up to date, Colin Smith, Regional Director for Europe, Middle East and South America said that “the Port Authority has kept up capital investment in new and improved facilities and access throughout the recession and continues to do so. PANYNJ sees the investment as integral to the maintenance of its position as the premier east-coast gateway to the US for both maritime and aviation traffic.”


As a result, heavy investment will continue throughout 2011 with the Port Authority budget including US$81m for redevelopment of the Port-Jersey-Port Authority Marine Terminal. Additionally US$70m has been earmarked for the channel deepening programme, much of which will be completed by the end of 2012 and which will ultimately provide 50 ft (15.2 m depth to all container terminals by 2014 to coincide with the widening of the Panama Canal.


Furthermore, PANYNJ will continue with the programmes to raise the Bayonne Bridge roadbed to approximately 215 feet (65.5 m) in order to overcome the bridge clearance issue, which will pose a navigational problem for larger ships trying to access the Port of New York and New Jersey after the Panama Canal expands in 2014.


Other planned project ‘starts’ for 2011 include the US$43m Berth 6 replacement and project ‘completions’ include improvements to many of the port’s roads and various access/egress points.


The Port Authority has purchased approximately 130 acres of property at the Marine Ocean Terminal at Bayonne (MOTBY) which will add 4.5% to the Port Authority's total port acreage on both sides of the Hudson River. No decisions have yet been made on redeveloping the land which represents nearly one-third of the total MOTBY peninsula, but the Authority’s action has ‘locked in’ the parcel for future port use and precluded other development.


Within the port area there is an unparalleled rail network on which more than US$600m has been invested to date. The intermodal rail is served by CSX, Northern & Southern and Canadian Pacific and offers, “the fastest and shortest rail route to Chicago and is linked to more inland destination than any other US port,” said Smith.


As a result, PANYNJ intends to continue its focus on intermodalism with the intention of increasing its hinterland connections in order to win more mid-west cargo following the 2014 Panama Canal widening.
(Source:http://www.container-mag.com)