Humboldt Maritime Logistics

Humboldt County barge project gets federal attention

HML — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:41:41 +0000

From the contracostatimes.com: A local entrepreneur’s efforts to establish a marine shipping service along the West Coast and a four-port initiative to build infrastructure to support it have earned recognition — and the prospect of funding — from the U.S. Department of Transportation. [...]

Humboldt Maritime Logistics President Stephen Pepper said his company is currently seeking $1.5 million for a West Coast market analysis and a study of what kind of equipment will best suit the service’s needs. The Transportation Department’s determination means the company and the Harbor District are now in a much better position to receive federal funding.

”It kind of pipes us for their assistance,” Pepper said.

Media roundup: Who got picked to be a project?

HML — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 00:51:57 +0000

Earlier this week, Secretary Ray LaHood announced his selection of the maritime projects that will be eligible for federal assistance. Here’s the media fallout so far:

(logisticsmgmt.com) DOT announces various America’s Marine Highway efforts make cut for federal funding
Following an April announcement signaling the launch of “America’s Marine Highway” program, an effort to shift freight to waterways from congested U.S. highways, the United States Department of Transportation announced the marine highway corridors and an initial eight projects and six initiatives along the corridors that will be available for federal assistance through this effort.

(strtrade.com) DOT MOVES AHEAD WITH PROJECTS TO EXPAND WATER TRANSPORTATION OF CARGO
The Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration has announced the availability of $7 million in grant funding for projects to further develop marine highways. DOT also announced Aug. 11 the initial projects and initiatives that will be eligible for this and other federal assistance. Grant Funding. The grant funding is designed to expand the use of water transportation of cargo and passengers by supporting specific projects that will create new or expanded services along designated marine highway corridors. MARAD has also established selection criteria and requirements for applications for these grants, which must be received by 5:00 p.m. ET on Aug. 27.

(ccjdigital.com) DOT announces corridors for marine highway program
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration has chosen to designate 14 corridors under its new America’s Marine Highways program and announced construction projects related to eight of them and various other initiatives for the other six. The eight projects are eligible to apply by the end of the month for a share of $7 million available for funding. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced the America’s program four months ago, saying it would relieve congested highways.

(theday.com) Ct. looks to sea to ease road congestion
Connecticut is one of eight states selected to compete in America’s Marine Highway Program, a federal Department of Transportation initiative to encourage use of waterways to reduce traffic congestion and move freight along the country’s coastlines.

(marinelog.com) Marine Highways program gets a road map
A short sea shipping initiative called for in the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) has taken a significant step forward. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today identified 18 marine corridors, eight projects, and six initiatives for further development as part of “America’s Marine Highway Program.”

(businesswire.com) U.S. DOT Selects Port Manatee Project for America’s Marine Highway Initiative
Container-On-Barge Trans-Gulf Service Between Port Manatee And The Port of Brownsville, Texas One Of Eight Projects Selected Nationwide. The Manatee County Port Authority received word today that U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced the designation of 18 Marine Highway Corridors and eight Marine Highway Projects that are now eligible to compete for federal funding through America’s Marine Highway Program.

(brownsvilleherald.com) DOT selects Brownsville-Port Manatee for national program
The Port of Brownsville’s “short-sea” shipping route with Port Manatee, Fla., has been designated part of the America’s Marine Highway Program, an initiative of the U.S. Department of Transportation aimed at transferring a portion of U.S. cargo from overcrowded highways to waterborne vessels and America’s underused waterways.

(connecticutplus.com) Connecticut selected to compete for ‘Marine Highway’ initiative funding
Governor M. Jodi Rell announced today that Connecticut has been selected by the U.S. Department of Transportation to compete in “America’s Marine Highway Program” — a USDOT initiative encouraging the development and use of waterways to help mitigate traffic congestion and move freight along the country’s coastlines. “We are remaking our entire transportation structure in Connecticut, and this is an important part of our vision. It is an innovative alternative way to address traffic and freight issues on Connecticut roads and highways,” Governor Rell said.

(fleetowner.com) Trucks at Work Blog
Marine highways get more funding: The U.S. Department of Transportation is starting to put more its money (which, of course, is the taxpayers’ moolah; greenbacks generated by you and me) where its mouth is in terms of supporting “water-borne” intermodal connections. Just four months after unveiling the America’s Marine Highway Program, the DOT’s Maritime Administration is making $7 million worth of funds available to start work on some eight projects and six initiatives along the “maritime highway” corridors – which includes inland waterways and coastal sea routes – out of some 35 applications submitted by ports and local transportation agencies.

U.S. Transportation Department Selects HML Project as Eligible for Federal Funding

HML — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 00:26:48 +0000

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has designated a joint project between Humboldt Maritime Logistics and the Humboldt Bay Recreation and Conservation District as being eligible for funding as part of a federal initiative designed move cargo along rivers and coasts rather than highways.

The joint project is one of 14 groups and agencies in the nation (and one of only two on the West Coast) to achieve this status. The designation allows HML and the Harbor District to apply for funding that’s part of the America’s Marine Highway initiative, including $7 million being made available this week.

“We’re honored that we’re one of the few projects in the nation to have been selected,” said HML president Stephen Pepper. “This is a project with significant economic and environmental impacts. It’s supported by both the public and private sectors on the national and local level, and this thumbs up from the DOT brings us one step closer to getting barges in the water. We’d like to thank the District and Rep. Mike Thompson’s office for their support and hard work in getting the project to Washington D.C.”

The top projects were chosen from 35 applications submitted by agencies along the West, East and Gulf Coasts, the Great Lakes, and inland waterways.

“Making better use of our rivers and coastal routes offers an intelligent way to relieve some of the biggest challenges we face in transportation – congestion on our roads, climate change, fossil fuel energy use and soaring road maintenance costs,” LaHood said when annoncing the top projects. “There is no better time for us to improve the use of our rivers and coasts for transportation.”

Port of Pascagoula planning for short sea shipping

HML — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 02:33:21 +0000

From blog.gulflive.com: By the end of the year, Port of Pascagoula officials should have a new strategic plan in hand to take them through the next 20 years, leaders said Tuesday after a regular Board of Commissioners meeting.

Lori Baer, from AECOM’s Sunrise, Fla., office, attended the meeting to update commissioners on the firm’s progress on the plan, which leaders say should position the port to remain competitive in a changing maritime industry.

Baer said the firm is especially focusing on Brazil — which represents a “huge market” and opportunity for growth, she said — and short-sea shipping.

The plan will replace the existing one, which was developed in 1996 and updated in 2004, port Director Mark McAndrews has said.

It will outline short- and long-term recommendations to help the port grow, and it will include detailed market analyses, the company said.

“They’re making pretty good progress on it, and we should have it by the end of this calendar year,” McAndrews said. “The biggest challenge is to make sure the recommendation and opportunities are really there and are attainable.”

Senator McCain Introduces Bill to “Fully Repeal the Jones Act”

HML — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 05:14:30 +0000

From a June 25, 2010 statement: “Today I am pleased to introduce legislation that would fully repeal the Jones Act, a 1920s law that hinders free trade and favors labor unions over consumers. Specifically, the Jones Act requires that all goods shipped between waterborne ports of the United States be carried by vessels built in the United States and owned and operated by Americans. This restriction only serves to raise shipping costs, thereby making U.S. farmers less competitive and increasing costs for American consumers.

“This was highlighted by a 1999 U.S. International Trade Commission economic study, which suggested that a repeal of the Jones Act would lower shipping costs by approximately 22 percent. Also, a 2002 economic study from the same Commission found that repealing the Jones Act would have an annual positive welfare effect of $656 million on the overall U.S. economy. Since these studies are the most recent statistics available, imagine the impact a repeal of the Jones Act would have today: far more than a $656 million annual positive welfare impact – maybe closer to $1 billion. These statistics demonstrate that a repeal of the Jones Act could prove to be a true stimulus to our economy in the midst of such difficult economic times.

“The Jones Act also adds a real, direct cost to consumers – particularly consumers in Hawaii and Alaska. A 1988 GAO report found that the Jones Act was costing Alaskan families between $1,921 and $4,821 annually for increased prices paid on goods shipped from the mainland. In 1997, a Hawaii government official asserted that ‘Hawaii residents pay an additional $1 billion per year in higher prices because of the Jones Act. This amounts to approximately $3,000 for every household in Hawaii.’”

“This antiquated and protectionist law has been predominantly featured in the news as of late due to the Gulf Coast oil spill. Within a week of the explosion, 13 countries, including several European nations, offered assistance from vessels and crews with experience in removing oil spill debris, and as of June 21st, the State Department has acknowledged that overall ‘it has had 21 aid offers from 17 countries.’ However, due to the Jones Act, these vessels are not permitted in U.S. waters.

“The Administration has the ability to grant a waiver of the Jones Act to any vessel – just as the previous Administration did during Hurricane Katrina – to allow the international community to assist in recovery efforts. Unfortunately, this Administration has not done so.

“Therefore, some Senators have put forward legislation to waive the Jones Act during emergency situations, and I am proud to co-sponsor this legislation. However, the best course of action is to permanently repeal the Jones Act in order to boost the economy, saving consumers hundreds of millions of dollars. I hope my colleagues will join me in this effort to repeal this unnecessary, antiquated legislation in order to spur job creation and promote free trade.”

Navigating Obstacles: Short Sea Shipping

HML — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 05:09:09 +0000

The Detroit-Windsor Truck Ferry (Photo courtesy Detroit-Windsor Truck Ferry)

From marinelink.com: Short-sea shipping, also referred to as the “Marine Highway” and, in some cases, “coastal shipping,” is the subject of more studies than we can list. Whatever the label, the concept refers to an initiative to get freight off our roadways, which are at capacity, and onto our waterways, which have to yet to be tapped to their potential. More than likely you’ve heard about the promises of this mode of transport, including reduced highway congestion, reduced consumption of fuel and fewer emissions per unit shipped. So what’s the hold up? In the following pages MarineNews looks at the obstacles that stand between the concept and the reality.

Two major studies

Dr. Rockford Weitz is a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Global Maritime Studies and co-author of the September 2008 study “America’s Deep Blue Highway: How Coastal Shipping Could Reduce Traffic Congestion, Lower Pollution, and Bolster National Security.” Weitz prefers the term “coastal shipping” because he excludes brown water operations from his research and believes “short-sea shipping” is not a very useful term to get those “people in Washington, who don’t know the difference between a bow and a stern, onboard with this.”

Europe: Over 100 calls for Marco Polo funding

HML — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 17:14:05 +0000

From maritimejournal.com: With 101 proposals received by the call deadline, the third Marco Polo II call has attracted a record number of submissions, with over one third addressing short sea shipping.

The number of applicants beat all previous calls launched since 2007 (70 proposals received in 2009, 46 in 2008 and 55 in 2007). Altogether, the funding requests arising from the 101 project proposals amount to €235 million this year, against an annual programme budget of €64 million.

The 2010 call attracted proposals in all five Marco Polo key actions, with ‘modal shift’ in the lead for the number of submissions and short sea applications playing a large part. Further, nearly one tenth address inland waterways transport.

“The excellent response to our call goes to show that the transport industry around Europe is receptive to the Marco Polo message. With the first signs of economic recovery, the idea of a more sustainable, efficient transport system around Europe does appeal to the transport and logistic business. This encourages us in our efforts to promote the funding opportunities available under Marco Polo, and to provide prospective applicants with the assistance they need.” said Patrick Lambert, director of the Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI), which is in charge of managing the programme.

Containers herald growth at Teesport

HML — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:53:39 +0000

From nebusiness.co.uk: Teesport will welcome its second new container shipping service in as many months, as it prepares for the announcement of what are expected to be record volumes when official traffic statistics are released on June 10.

Northern European short sea shipping company Unifeeder said it was launching three new services to the UK from next month, including Teesport.

The company, which has recently expanded its Baltic operations and handles 1.6m of the larger containers on which Teesport’s future development is largely underpinned, said it would be providing “significant annual capacity from the start” with several weekly arrivals.

Its expansion into the UK was a “major and strategically important decision”, the company added. “The new service brings new opportunities to link existing destinations in Scandinavia and around the Baltic Sea to the UK.”

Salford port scheme given go-ahead

HML — Mon, 24 May 2010 22:34:10 +0000

From englandsnorthwest.com: A new scheme that will see a £400 million port constructed in Salford has been given the go-ahead.

The facility, which will provide five container berths for cargo ships, is likely to create as many as 2,000 jobs and will reduce the amount of freight on the northwest’s roads by doubling traffic on the Manchester Ship Canal.

It is to be constructed by Peel Group and property director Mike Butterworth said he is thrilled with the approval of the plans.

“Port Salford will bring together rail, road and short sea shipping together in a unique development alongside Manchester Ship Canal,” he added.

Port pushes back cargo project

HML — Thu, 13 May 2010 20:00:00 +0000

From theworldlink.com: Port officials say developers are still interested in building a marine cargo terminal in Coos Bay. But the downturn has pushed off construction until 2017 at the earliest.

Over the past several years, the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay has hosted visitors from around the Pacific Rim and Europe, who have been interested in the area’s industrial sites. One of their guests was reportedly the American arm of A.P. Moller-Maersk, though the Denmark-based company has remained mum on the subject.

Sen. Joanne Verger, who revealed the company’s name, helped secure $60 million in 2007 to deepen and widen Coos Bay’s shipping channel. That money’s still waiting, said Martin Callery, the port’s director of communication and freight mobility.

Some of the funds have been set aside for an economic analysis, but officials need to determine what benefits are reasonable to expect with a deeper channel. The port could provide opportunities for short-sea shipping, moving materials domestically so they don’t clog U.S. highways. The Obama administration and Sen. Ron Wyden have also made increasing exports a national priority. Officials would hope to bring jobs to Coos Bay that wouldn’t be in the United States otherwise, said Callery.