Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

East Coast ports post record volume

From New York to Florida, ports continue to handle more cargo; South Carolina touts extra capacity from recent expansions, Florida offers business incentives.

Leatherman-Terminal-_Photo---SCPA---Walter-Lagarenne__sm.jpg

Ports along the East Coast continued to handle record-setting cargo volume heading into peak shipping season, with officials in the Northeast and the South citing double-digit increases in containers processed in August and September. In the South, port and government leaders also were touting regional benefits as incentives for businesses to diversify their port gateway strategies in light of persistent supply chain bottlenecks, especially on the West Coast.


At the Port of New York and New Jersey, cargo volume processed through the port rose more than 13% in August to 780,782 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), the latest data available. Autos led the charge, with more than 42,000 moving through the port in August, a nearly 12% increase compared to a year ago. Imports were up nearly 9% and exports rose 0.8% during the month. January through August, imports rose more than 26% and exports were up nearly 6%, officials said.

The South Carolina Ports Authority also posted strong results, citing a 5% increase in overall volume through the port in September and an 18% increase for its fiscal year to date, due to the boom in retail imports. The port moved a record-setting 205,008 TEUs during the month, with imports up 9% and exports up 2%.

Jim Newsome, SC Ports’ president and CEO, cited additional capacity at the port from recent infrastructure improvements as an opportunity for cargo owners to diversify their movement of goods. SC Ports opened a new terminal this past spring, the first container terminal to open in the United States in more than a decade, officials said. The $1 billion phase one of Hugh K. Leatherman terminal opened this past March, adding a berth and 700,000 TEUs of capacity to the Port of Charleston. Other port investments include ongoing terminal upgrades, a Charleston Harbor deepening project, and expansion of Inland Port Greer, which will add cargo capacity and enhance rail infrastructure at the rail-served port in Upstate South Carolina.

“Capacity is the new port currency, and SC Ports has the right capacity at the right time to meet retailers’ needs to keep freight moving,” Newsome said in a recent State of the Port address. “We have invested more than $2 billion in recent years to enhance existing infrastructure and open a new container terminal.”

On Florida’s Gulf Coast, Port Manatee this week reported a 53% increase in container volume for its fiscal year ended September 30, with a record 135,660 TEUs crossing the docks. The fiscal year-end figure is more than three-and-a-half times the volume the port handled just three years ago, officials also said. Port Manatee is the closest U.S. deepwater seaport to the Panama Canal.


“The pandemic has by no means slowed the safe, efficient flow of cargo through Port Manatee as we proficiently meet demands of consumers for everything from fresh produce to forest products,” Carlos Buqueras, executive director of Manatee County’s seaport, said in a statement. “And, with completion of our expanded dockside container yard and additional infrastructure enhancements on the horizon, Port Manatee is ideally positioned to sustain its cargo volume surge.”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been weighing in on the recent supply chain crisis, as well. He has said the state’s ports have the capacity and manpower to handle imports that are backing up at ports nationwide, and announced Tuesday that the state’s ports will offer incentives to businesses to move more cargo through the Sunshine State.

The Latest

More Stories

penske truck leasing site with rooftop solar panels

Penske activates solar panels at three truck leasing sites

Penske Truck Leasing will activate rooftop solar-powered systems at three U.S. locations by 2025 that handle truck leasing, rental, and maintenance, and plans to add seven more sites as part of an initiative to boost efficiency, minimize energy costs, and reduce emissions.

Penske said today that its facility in Channahon, Illinois, is now fully operational, and is predominantly powered by an onsite photovoltaic (PV) solar system, expected to generate roughly 80% of the building's energy needs at 200 KW capacity. Next, a Grand Rapids, Michigan, location will be also active in the coming months, and Penske's Linden, New Jersey, location is expected to go online in 2025.

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

retail store tech AI zebra

Retailers plan tech investments to stop theft and loss

Eight in 10 retail associates are concerned about the lack of technology deployed to spot safety threats or criminal activity on the job, according to a report from Zebra Technologies Corp.

That challenge is one of the reasons that fewer shoppers overall are satisfied with their shopping experiences lately, Lincolnshire, Illinois-based Zebra said in its “17th Annual Global Shopper Study.”th Annual Global Shopper Study.” While 85% of shoppers last year were satisfied with both the in-store and online experiences, only 81% in 2024 are satisfied with the in-store experience and just 79% with online shopping.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mobile robots, drones move beyond the hype

Mobile robots, drones move beyond the hype

Supply chains are poised for accelerated adoption of mobile robots and drones as those technologies mature and companies focus on implementing artificial intelligence (AI) and automation across their logistics operations.

That’s according to data from Gartner’s Hype Cycle for Mobile Robots and Drones, released this week. The report shows that several mobile robotics technologies will mature over the next two to five years, and also identifies breakthrough and rising technologies set to have an impact further out.

Keep ReadingShow less
warehouse automation systems

Cimcorp's new CEO sees growth in grocery and tire segments

Logistics automation systems integrator Cimcorp today named company insider Veli-Matti Hakala as its new CEO, saying he will cultivate growth in both the company and its clientele, specifically in the grocery retail and tire plant logistics sectors.

An eight-year veteran of the Georgia company, Hakala will begin his new role on January 1, when the current CEO, Tero Peltomäki, will retire after a long and noteworthy career, continuing as a member of the board of directors, Cimcorp said.

Keep ReadingShow less

Securing the last mile

Although many shoppers will return to physical stores this holiday season, online shopping remains a driving force behind peak-season shipping challenges, especially when it comes to the last mile. Consumers still want fast, free shipping if they can get it—without any delays or disruptions to their holiday deliveries.

One disruptor that gets a lot of headlines this time of year is package theft—committed by so-called “porch pirates.” These are thieves who snatch parcels from front stairs, side porches, and driveways in neighborhoods across the country. The problem adds up to billions of dollars in stolen merchandise each year—not to mention headaches for shippers, parcel delivery companies, and, of course, consumers.

Keep ReadingShow less