Häfen | Ports Energy
Häfen | Ports Energy exporter The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects the United States to export more energy than it imports by 2020 – an important aspect for the energy ports of the country. In its recently released Annual Energy Outlook, EIA projects that, for the first time since the 1950s, the U.S. will export more energy than it imports by 2020 as increases in crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas plant liquids production outpace growth in U.S. energy consumption. The United States has been a net exporter of coal and coke for decades, began exporting more natural gas than it imports in 2017, and is projected to export more petroleum and other liquids than it imports within the decade. EIA’s projected changes in net energy trade are driven mostly by evolving trade flows of liquid fuels and natural gas. Near the end of the projection period, the U.S. returns to importing more petroleum and other liquids than it exports on an energy basis as a result of increasing domestic gasoline consumption and falling domestic crude oil production in those years. U.S. natural gas trade in the AEO Reference case, which includes shipments by pipeline from and to Canada and to Mexico as well as exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG), is increasingly dominated by LNG exports to more distant destinations. »As natural gas demand grows in Asia and U.S. natural gas prices remain competitive, LNG export capacity increases further before leveling off after 2030 when additional suppliers enter the global LNG market and U.S. LNG is no longer as competitive«, it is said. put of more than 8 mill. TEU, as cargo grew more than 7% to set a record for a second consecutive year. The Port – with about 90% of containerized business with East Asia – finished 2018 with 8,091,023 TEUs moved. Imports grew 6.1% to 4,097,377 TEUs, exports totaled 1,523,008 TEUs, up 3.6%; empties increased 11.8% to 2,470,638 TEUs. Harbor Executive Director Mario Cordero tells HANSA: »We expect modest growth in 2019. Tariffs will once again be a factor. So far, we have seen tariffs of about 10%, which businesses seem to be absorbing. If the ultimate level of 25% tariffs are implemented, we could see some negative impacts on trade. The continued uncertainty is problematic for the business environment. I am an optimist. I believe the United States and China will be able to resolve their differences and trade will continue, to the benefit of businesses, workers and citizens on both sides of the Pacific.« Commission President Tracy Egoscue said earlier, the port has a »monumental« 2019 ahead. »We will be putting the finishing touches on the replacement for the Gerald Desmond Bridge. The new Long Beach Container Terminal is entering its final phase of construction«, she said. Key projects in the years ahead include 1 bn $ in rail improvements that is supposed to help boost the on-dock rail cargo to 35%, with a long-term goal of 50%. »Rail allows us to move Asia imports to all the major U.S. markets significantly faster than cargo routed through Gulf and East coast ports«, Cordero says. To remain competitive in the future and grow the business, he knows that the port must focus on the »ability to deliv- German-North American seaborne trade: »Structural changes are not expected« With regard to US and EU trade policy, the forecasts for foreign trade are still good, according to the Association of German Seaport Operators ZDS. The most important types of goods transported between German and US ports are cargo in containers; coal, crude oil and natural gas as well as agricultural and forestry products. Transport between German and Canadian ports involves ores, stones and earths; cargo in containers as well as coal, crude oil and natural gas. Structural changes are not expected in this year either. In fact, there are signs of a slight shift in the North Range ports in favour of Dutch and Belgian ports. »However, German seaports are market leaders, technologically and ecologically, and our companies are investing at home and abroad. We compete well«, Daniel Hosseus from ZDS says. A very concrete measure that urgently needs to be implemented is the alignment of the German collection procedure for import turnover tax with the EU standard. The procedure currently in use discriminates against importers throughout Germany and puts German seaports and airports at a disadvantage, he adds. Seaborne traffic between Germany and North America in tons (Jan-Sept 2018) Import Export US CA US CA Gen. cargo 114.588 -18% 6.608 -91% 783.417 42% 48.348 8% Container 5.761.811 195% 1.753.380 160% 6.489.390 45% • 1.890.399 58% Bulk 3.269.868 -3% 1.890.627 -20% 3.329.851 0% 1.921.258 -20% Cars 269.284 -8% • 26.106 39% • 873.535 19% • 168.038 -6% • 9.415.551 64% • 3.676.721 15% • 11.476.193 26% • 4.028.043 6% • Total 28.596.508 31% • Total US-GER 20.891.744 41% • Total CA-GER 7.704.764 10% • © ZDS 80 HANSA International Maritime Journal – 156. Jahrgang – 2019 – Nr. 3
Häfen | Ports er cargo predictably, reliably and fast«. For that, facilities are needed, but in addition, »we’ll also be leveraging information and technology to provide advanced cargo visibility that will allow the supply chain to plan their operations.« 9 % growth in Philadelphia Aerial of Welland Canal Lock 4,5,6 Grain boosts St. Lawrence traffic The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) announced that tonnage on the waterway during the 2018 navigation season totaled 40.9 mill.t. The highest result since 2007, much of the credit for the increase in tonnage was given to healthy movements of grain – and road salt, stone, cement, gypsum and refined fuel. The new mooring technology is said to eliminate the need for special vessel fittings, enabling the St. Lawrence Seaway to welcome a broader range of ships from the world fleet. Craig H. Middlebrook, Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation said, »Total tonnage on the St. Lawrence Seaway exceeded the 5-, 10-, and 15-year averages, making 2018 an exceptionally strong shipping season. Overall gains in year-over-year commodity increases were widespread, most notably in U.S. grain export trade.« The recent completion of the modernization program, which includes Hands Free Mooring and remote operation of locks from centralized operation control centres, is described as »the greatest advancement in Seaway operations since its inception in 1959«. The Great Lakes St. Lawrence River System is a »marine highway« that extends some 3,700 km from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. Beginning in Montreal and extending to points west, the Seaway’s 15 locks (13 Canadian and 2 U.S.) enable ships to climb a total of 168 m from »sea level« up to Lake Erie. ©St Lawrence Seaway Corporation On the East Coast, the port of Philadelphia saw a record TEU count of 600,000, which was 9% growth. 38% of the container moves were refrigerated, making Philadelphia one of the leading gateways for food and agricultural products in the U.S. The Tioga Marine Terminal benefited from a new multi-modal ocean service, ARRC, connecting PhilaPort with Russia, Central Asia, and Northern Europe. The management expects to continue to grow towards the goal of 900,000 TEU annually and increases in autos and forest products. Unlike some analysts, trade fundamentals are described as »good«. »We expect good will and common sense to prevail, and trade to continue in spite of tensions and tariff talk. Global growth continues, and the US economy is staying strong. Over the past few years we have seen substantial growth, despite the tariffs, and our key commodities like perishables show no signs of stopping.« The biggest item the port is working on is the imminent completion of the 468 mill. $ Delaware River Main Channel Deepening Project. The new depth will allow PhilaPort to handle the 14,500 TEU ships able to transit the expanded Panama Canal. The next biggest item is the continuation of the Port Development Plan, a 300 mill. $ project to improve the terminals. Further North, the port authority of New York and New Jersey reported a throughput of 7,179,788 TEUs in 2018, surpassing the 7-million-mark for the first time. The cargo growth was bolstered by an 8.2% increase in imported goods including clothing, furniture, electronics and other everyday products over the previous record for imports set in 2017. The Port handled one third of all containers on the East Coast of North America; an increase in market share of 2.8%. In addition to cargo containers, the port also set a new all-time record for cargo handled by rail, moving 645,760 containers by rail, up 13.8% over the previous record set in 2017. The port authority said, the growth in part can be attributed to the completion in June 2017 of the Bayonne Bridge Navigational Clearance Project, which raised the clearance under the bridge from 151 feet to 215 feet, allowing the world’s largest container ships to pass under it. To enhance the port’s ability to handle the record cargo growth, a major new expansion of the rail network was announced. The opening of the final rail facility will allow the port to advance its strategic five-year goal to handle more than 900,000 rail lifts in 2023, the equivalent of more than 1.5 mill. fewer truck trips traveling through the local roads. Georgia Ports hub Savannah moved 4.35 mill. TEU in 2018, another »highest annual volume ever«, and a 7.5% increase over 2017. In February, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed outer harbor dredging, marking the midpoint of the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project. The federal government provided 101.12 mill. $ to continue SHEP construction this year, and inner harbor dredging is on track to start this year. The expansion of Gate 8 had been completed, and will increase overall gate capacity by 16%, for a total of 56 lanes. The rail volume (860,000 TEU) represented a 19% increase. To handle the additional intermodal volumes, GPA will complete Phase I of the Mason Mega Rail project in October of this year, and Phase II by October 2020. n HANSA International Maritime Journal – 156. Jahrgang – 2019 – Nr. 3 81
