Longshoremen on the East and Gulf coasts ratified a new six-year Master Contract, covering about 14,500 waterfront workers belonging to the International Longshoremen's Association, the union said. It said the contract was "overwhelmingly" approved in a ratification vote at ports on the Atlantic and Gulf Coast.

Growth in imported steel of more than 38 percent and other break-bulk cargo gains led the Port of New Orleans to a third straight year of healthy tonnage increases, it said. Total general cargo tonnage at the port grew 8.6 percent to 7.55 million tons in 2012. Containerized cargo was virtually flat with a record year in 2011. Port CEO Gary LaGrange attributed part of the growth to improvement in the general economy. The port also completed several cargo projects in 2012, including adding two new post-Panamax gantry cranes and a new 40,000 square-foot Riverfront Cold Storage Facility.

Both the International Longshoremen’s Association (here) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (here) said they support Hong Kong dockers who are striking for improved wages and conditions. The dock workers belong to the Union of Hong Kong Dockers and affiliated Hong Kong labor organizations. The labor action against the Hong Kong International Terminal and subcontractors also was supported by the International Dockers Council and the International Transport Workers' Federation. HIT is owned by Hutchinson Port Holdings.

Cities that do not invest in port and transportation infrastructure put their economies at serious risk, according to a recent report from international commercial real estate firm Colliers International. The group’s third annual North American Port Analysis was released April 8 and examines trade patterns stemming from the upcoming Panama Canal expansion. The report recommends further development of basic modes of transportation -- including inland waterways, roads and airports -- especially since the American Society of Civil Engineers recently gave America’s overall infrastructure a D+ grade. The report also found that the often-overlooked “fourth coast” Great Lakes region is the leader in bulk cargo trade, and intermodal transportation reached an all-time high in 2012 and is the "next transportation growth segment." The report also ranks the top 10 North American ports, including the fastest-growing port (Port of Virginia) and the best logistics (Georgia Port Authority). Read the complete report (here).

The Port of Los Angeles and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said the port's 10-year, $370 million Main Channel Deepening Project is complete. The project "has been our single-most, important infrastructure project," said Port Executive Director Geraldine Knatz. It involved deepening the port's 45-foot deep main channel, West Basin channel and East Basin channel to a 53-foot depth. The Port of Los Angeles is in the midst of a five year, $1.3 billion Capital Improvement Program to modernize and upgrade terminals, to increase rail capacity and improve roadways in and around the port.

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners voted Monday to support the city's appeal of the Southern California International Gateway rail yard project that was recently approved by the Port of Los Angeles. The 153-acre facility proposed by BNSF Railway is just outside West Long Beach on land owned by the Port of Los Angeles. The project would serve on-dock rail facilities at both the Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles.

The International Longshoremen's Association April 2 published a draft six-year collective bargaining agreement with the New York Shipping Association. A vote on the contract is scheduled for April 9.

The Georgia legislature approved $50 million in additional port deepening funds, and the bill awaits signing by by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, who proposed it. Along with previous funding, Georgia has allocated $231.1 million toward the state’s portion of the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project, said the Georgia Ports Authority. Deepening the Savannah Harbor from 42 to 47 feet will accommodate an increase in the number of super-sized container vessels transiting the Panama Canal after its 2015 expansion, GPA said.

The New York Shipping Association and the International Longshormen's Association reached a tentative agreement on a contract for the Ports of New York and New Jersey, said a NYSA spokeswoman. "There are a few issues which will require refinement that will be discussed when the parties meet again next week in Tampa, Florida," she said. No details will be released until the tentative agreement is presented to the full ILA wage scale early next week, she said.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union filed an Unfair Labor Practice Charge with the National Labor Relations Board against Mitsui-United, the ILWU, Local 4 said in a statement. The charge is a result of the company's lockout of its workforce at the Port of Vancouver USA. The ILWU alleges Mitsui-United Grain “took the extreme measure of locking out its entire bargaining unit even though by its own statements it had identified and terminated the employee allegedly responsible for the property damage." The ILWU said the property damage took place December 22, five days before the unilateral implementation of Mitsui-United Grain's final offer. Mitsui's U.S. office didn't comment.