The International Longshoremen's Association is criticizing the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX) for labeling the Container Royalty as "another form of compensation for ILA workers who are among the nation's most highly compensated." The ILA said the shippers "want to grab more money away from the ILA and its members by placing a cap on Container Royalty" (here). Preventing a cap on Container Royalty is one of the key battles facing the ILA, said President Harold Daggett, as negotiations continue. ILA said other issues include the eight-hour guarantee and the 7-man lashing gang. The USMX has had FAQs regarding the royalties on its web site for some time (here) and (here). "USMX has made it clear in negotiations and to the public through their website postings (USMX.com) that they are looking to cut, as an example, an ILA member in Savannah's Container Royalty payment and eliminate an eight hour guarantee for an ILA member in Houston," said Daggett. "They attack work rules in New York and look to strip the seven-man lashing gang in the South Atlantic. We understand that USMX has continually played one port against the other but that strategy will not succeed." He also said the union won't budge on the 8-hour guarantee or the overtime provisions. "Our ILA is committed to protecting all ILA members affected by this contract." Daggett said. "We stand united and will put a full contract package together that meets all our goals at all ports." Daggett indicated he may call full ILA Wage Scale Meetings with the USMX on Dec. 10 and 11, possibly at a hotel near Newark Airport.

Cargo traffic at the New York and New Jersey ports remains "extremely backlogged" following Superstorm Sandy, broker/forwarder CargoTrans Inc. is telling its customers. It said exporters and importers are "still struggling to recover."

The Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners approved more than $127 million of construction contracts for two projects to modernize the marine container terminal operated by TraPac, Inc., the port authority said. Work is to begin in January on the projects, which will support nearly 1,000 one-year equivalent construction jobs over the next two and half years. A $71.5 million project for new buildings and state-of-the-art truck entrance and exit gates at TraPac’s rear Berths 136-139, was awarded to Costa Mesa-based S. J. Amoroso Construction Co. A $55.7 million grade separation project was awarded to Sacramento area-based MCM Construction. The projects are part of a $365 million expansion of the TraPac terminal due to be completed in 2016.

The Port of New Orleans set records for container traffic in 2012, said Port of New Orleans CEO Gary LaGrange in the annual State of the Port Address Nov. 5 hosted by the International Freight Forwarders and Customs Brokers Association of New Orleans. In 2011, the port handled a record 476,413 TEUs. Through the first six months of 2012, the port handled 241,707 TEUs -- outpacing last year's figures for the same time period. So far in 2012, total general cargo is up 8.5 percent, buoyed by a 23 percent increase in break-bulk cargo.

All Port of New York and New Jersey container terminals reopened at 7 a.m. Nov. 5, except the Red Hook terminal, which reopened at 8 a.m. See details (here). There were some limitations, for example, Maher Terminals told customers that it would not be receiving empty containers into its facilities Nov. 5 and it wasn't sure if it would be allowed to process trucks past 6 p.m. (here)

Port security, policies and technologies will get a full day of sessions at the massive Consumer Electronics Show Jan. 8-11 in Las Vegas, organizers announced. CES Government Conference portion of the show, Jan. 8-9 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel, will include presentations by American Association of Port Authorities President Kurt Nagle, U.S. Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-Va.), ranking member of the Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and Procurement Reform, and Maria O'Connell, senior advisor to the Commissioner of CBP. Others will include Charlie Armstrong, assistant secretary for information management at the Department of Homeland Security, Christopher Lytle, executive director of the Port of Long Beach, and Virginia Secretary of Transportation Sean Connaughton. Topics will include management systems, tracking technologies, IT and physical security technologies, collection, storage and analytic tools for managing big data

The Port of Oakland hired the Arnold & Porter law firm as independent outside counsel in the on-going investigation of alleged improper expenditures, said acting Executive Director Deborah Ale Flint. She said the firm is "working methodically, and as quickly as responsible and possible," through the issues." Flint said the port also recently refinanced some of its $1.3 billion in outstanding debt, saving it about $9 million a year from 2014 to 2020, "which will help us address increasing costs and over $850 million in unfunded liabilities and capital needs." The port is also negotiating with three of four port unions, and is in impasse proceedings with its largest union, SEIU Local 1021, she said.

Maritime-related air pollution related to the Port of Seattle has decreased as much as 40 percent, depending on the type, since 2005, according to the 2011 Puget Sound Maritime Air Emissions Inventory report, which updated a 2005 version. The inventory estimated greenhouse gases, diesel particulate matter and a number of other pollutants, such as sulfur dioxides and volatile organic compounds, the port authority said, focusing on pollutants related to ships, harbor vessels, cargo-handling equipment, rail, heavy-duty trucks and other fleet vehicles associated with maritime activities. It said much of the progress was due to voluntary investments of the maritime industry and government agencies in cleaner technology, cleaner fuels and more efficient systems of operation.

The Port of Baltimore will officially open four new 40-story post-Panamax cranes for operation at the Port's Seagirt Terminal Oct. 30, two years before the Panama Canal widening is complete, it said. As the final step in the $105 million expansion at the Port of Baltimore, the fully operational cranes will allow the Port to be one of just two East Coast ports to begin receiving supersize container ships, it said.

Business growth and major progress on such projects as Charleston's harbor deepening and the inland port were cited in the State-of-the-Port Address by South Carolina Ports Authority CEO Jim Newsome. Newsome said the port had its strongest quarter (July-September) for container volume in four years, while non-container tonnage at both Charleston and Georgetown also has been on the rise. The industry trend with the biggest impact on Charleston, he said, is the development of very large container ships, those larger than 7,500 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of capacity. He said the Port of Charleston is already handling ships that size and larger. To support the expected surge of post-Panamax ship traffic, a post-45-foot deepening project is underway in Charleston, and Newsome said progress on that has been "remarkable." Newsome also highlighted the progress on the SCPA's inland port project with Norfolk Southern in Greer, S.C., and said SCPA is working with CSX on rail initiatives to boost the port's business.