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 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 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 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 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.

The National Retail Federal commended International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 63 Office Clerical Unit and the Los Angeles / Long Beach Harbor Employers Association for resolving their contract dispute (see ITT's Online Archives 13022107). NRF Vice President-Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said in a statement the new contract will bring stability to the supply chain and better position the ports for future growth.

Union longshoremen at the Port of Montreal endorsed a new six-year collective agreement with the harbor shippers association, in a Feb. 20 vote, said the Canadian Union of Public Employees. The new contract was approved by 56% of the members, in a vote two months after the old contract expired. "Never in the history of our working relationship we managed to reach an agreement so quickly," said Denis Wolfe, president of the Longshoremen Port of Montreal. The new agreement provides wage increases of 1% for the first year, 2% for the next four years and a maximum of 2% to 3% CPI for the last year, the union said.

In an attempt to alleviate the Port of Portland’s financial strain related to ongoing labor disputes, the city’s Port Commissioners voted last week to approve a rent rebate for terminal manager ICTSI Oregon. The $3.7 million rebate will come directly from ICTSI’s annual rent of $4.7 million, according to a press release. Port Commissioners voted 6-1, with one abstention, for its approval. ICTSI manages Terminal 6 under a 25-year lease, the release said.

Cargo volume grew 17.5 percent at the Port of Long Beach in January, including a 19.5 percent jump in imports and an 8.2 percent rise in exports compared to the same month one year ago. Port terminals moved 536,263 TEUs (or twenty-foot equivalent container units) in January, including 273,918 TEUs of imports, the highest volume of import containers for a January since 2007, the port said. Exports rose to 126,714 TEUs, and empties were up 23.1 percent to 135,631 TEUs. The port authority said the Port of Long Beach is "Big Ship Ready," and the cargo increases in recent months are in part due to the more frequent use of larger ships and the addition of service lines to Long Beach.