The American Association of Port Authorities unveiled its 2013 calendar of program and conferences:

All terminals and gatehouses in the Port of New Orleans were back to normal schedules as of Sept. 4, the port said. Since the river fully reopened Sept. 1, after disruptions by Hurricane Isaac, port operators have handled 19 ships, including nine container vessels, five break-bulk cargo vessels and two refrigerated cargo vessels, it said. During the four-day river shutdown, only two vessels bound for New Orleans canceled their calls, said Port President Gary LaGrange.

Shippers should begin making alternate arrangements for routing their freight, in light of the potential East/Gulf Coast longshoremen strike or lockout, A.N. Deringer recommended Aug. 30. As a potential strike date draws closer, shippers and importers should consider the following. " With time running out for additional negotiations, Deringer recommends shippers implement contingency plans," it said.

The Coast Guard reopened the Mississippi River Friday morning with just a few restrictions, the Port of New Orleans said. Cargo vessels will be permitted to begin moving on a prioritized basis, it said. Port staff reported no flooding and very little wind damage to facilities, but substantial wind-blown damage to the Port's administrative building. There was some minimal wind and water damage at the Julia Street Cruise Terminal, but none at the Erato Street Terminal. Industrial and cargo tenants along the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal also reported few effects from Hurricane Isaac. The Corps of Engineers flood protection system kept water levels to only 3.5 feet above sea level within the Inner Harbor, in stark contrast to the more than 12-foot water levels there in past storms such as Hurricane Katrina, the Port said.

Container royalty payments to International Longshoremen's Association workers have "increased dramatically" since they were created in 1960, reaching over $211 million in 2011 alone, according to an Aug. 28 backgrounder on the U.S. Maritime Exchange website.

The National Retail Federation urged longshoremen and management to return to the negotiating table for a new East Coast and Gulf Coast longshoremen’s contract, saying retailers heading into the crucial holiday season will be forced to divert cargo elsewhere in a matter of days. “We understand and recognize that there are tough issues that need to be resolved,” said NRF President Matthew Shay in a letter sent to International Longshoremen’s Association President Harold Daggett and U.S. Maritime Alliance Chairman James Capo (here), but “the issue will only be resolved by agreeing to stay at the negotiating table until a final deal is reached. Failure to reach agreement will lead to supply chain disruptions which could seriously harm the U.S. economy.” Shay said some retailers have already enacted contingency plans to ensure that holiday merchandise will reach store shelves in time: “Most retailers using the East and Gulf Coast ports will be forced to execute contingency plans within the next week to meet in-store holiday deadlines.”

Port conditions as a result of Hurricane Isaac:

The California Transportation Commission committed $242 million in voter-approved Proposition 1B bond funding to redevelop the former Oakland Army Base into a trade and logistics center for the Port of Oakland, port officials said. The U.S. Department of Transportation had already committed $15 million in federal TIGER grant funding for the project, and the Oakland City Council voted June 19 to approve development agreements with Prologis and California Capital Investment Group for the city's portion of the 360-acres of former Oakland Army Base that it shares with the Port of Oakland.

The International Longshoremen's Association said it's "discouraged" by the "take it or leave it" approach by the U.S. Maritime Alliance that it said resulted in the "abrupt" end of negotiations Aug. 22, but the union is "energized" by support from other unions. (For a summary of the USMX statement on the end of talks, see ITT's Online Archives 12082301).

Many importers and exporters are developing contingency plans for what is looking like a more-likely strike of longshoremen at East Coast ports, following the breakdown of talks between the International Longshoremen's Association and the U.S. Maritime Exchange, said freight information company A.N. Deringer. The ILA has not commented on the talks (See ITT's Online Archives 12082301).