New York’s port has long played second fiddle to the busier container terminals outside Los Angeles. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey wants to change that.
This week, the Port Authority, which owns the land underneath six container-shipping terminals, put out a call for proposals to develop a 30-year master plan that would increase efficiency and grow cargo volumes at the port, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Molly Campbell, who took the agency’s top trade position last year, said the Port Authority aims for the New York area to surpass the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Calif., to become the busiest U.S. gateway for imports and exports.
Campbell said the region’s terminals need new express rail ties that can zip more containers from the docks to manufacturers and retailers as far west as Pittsburgh and Chicago. Ms. Campbell also wants terminals to stay open longer to ease traffic and allow more and larger ships to call.
Editors Insight: With global trade expanding, ocean carriers are investing in larger ships that carry more cargo. Larger cargo volumes require larger ports. The expanding Panama Canal will also expand global trade.
This Wall Street Journal report also notes the importance of rail to the future supply chain. A port authority spokesman says rising cargo loads make rail economically feasible for some shippers that want to reach Midwest markets. As larger ships call on the port, the demand for rail is expected to grow. 4-15-16 By Elliot Maras
