Port of Corpus Christi

June 9, 2009

Port of Corpus Christi at a glance

Location: Corpus Christi, Texas

CBP Port Code: 5312

Imports: $24,721,087,868 (2008 data)*

Exports: $4,965,086,893 (2008 data)*

Total: $29,686,174,761 (2008 data)*

The Port of Corpus Christi is mid-way along the Texas coast on the Gulf of Mexico (approximately 150 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border). The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway intersects the Corpus Christi Ship Channel and provides access to the U.S. inland waterway system. The operating draft of the Intracoastal Waterway is 12 feet. Our Seaport Profile offers subscribers more details on the various facilities and services available at the Port.

The primary inbound cargoes at the Port of Corpus Christi include crude oil, gas oil, bauxite ore, fuel oil, feed stock, naphtha, slop & slurry, condensate, reformate, and aggregate-vulcan. The primary outbound cargoes at the port are gasoline, fuel oil, diesel, wheat, feed stock, sorghum, gas oil, alumina, cumene, and caustic soda.

Terminals

The Northside General Cargo Terminal has dockside rail or truck transfer capability with 122,000 ft. of ship-side covered storage and 100,000 ft. of ship-side refrigerated storage. There is a 48-foot-wide canopy over double rail tracks at the rear of the Dock 9 warehouse. There is a Roll-On/Roll-Off ramp designed to handle bow or stern ramp vessels.

The north side of the ship channel includes over 120 acres of open storage area, which can be used for marshaling, storage, and fabrication. A 7-acre, surfaced storage pad is located adjacent to Docks 9 and 10 and the RO/RO ramp.

The Southside General Cargo Terminal features a range of facilities for transferring containers, break-bulk cargo, RO/RO, and heavy lift and project cargo between vessels, railcars, chassis, and trucks. Docks 14 and 15 are designed to facilitate loading and unloading of railcars, trailers, and containers on the land side of the warehouses. Dock-high aprons and RO/RO facilities are available. More than 20,000 ft. (6154 meters) of track are available to support rail operations.

Two 90,000-lb. container capacity lift machines are available for handling containers and other cargo at the Southside Terminal facilities. Two high-speed bagging lines are located near Dock 15. The bagging plant can also be used for seed treatment and is fed from rail or truck hopper dump.

Bulk Dock #1, which is operated by the Port of Corpus Christi Authority, is located at the Bulk Terminal, on the north side of Tule Lake Channel in the Inner Harbor. Road access is via Navigation Boulevard. Rail service is provided by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, Tex-Mex Railway Co., and Union Pacific Railroad through the Corpus Christi Terminal Railroad, Inc. (CCTR). A certified rail track scale is located near the Bulk Terminal for accurate weighing of railcars.

At Bulk Dock #1, coal, ore, minerals and other dry bulk commodities can be discharged directly from vessels to railcars or trucks. This facility can also be used to load vessels when special handling is required. The traveling unloading tower has a free digging rate of 600 short tons per hour using a 15 cubic yard bucket to discharge products weighing 55 pounds per cubic foot. Actual productivity varies depending on the product and type of operation.

Bulk Dock #2, which is also operated by the Port of Corpus Christi Authority, is located at the Bulk Terminal on the north side of the Tule Lake Channel in the Inner Harbor. Road access is also via Navigation Boulevard. The same rail service for Bulk Dock #1 is provided for Bulk Dock #2. At  Bulk Dock #2, coal, petroleum coke, and other dry bulk commodities can be loaded directly to vessels from bottom dump railcars, dump trucks, or storage. The radial shiploader is capable of loading products weighing 55 pounds per cubic foot at a maximum rate of 1500 tons per hour. Actual productivity will vary depending on the product and vessel.

The Liquid Bulk area has 11 public oil docks with berths ranging from 246 feet to 1,000 feet, with berth depths up to 45 feet. The largest ship docks are designed to handle 100,000 DWT tankers. Port industries also operate 14 private oil docks, handling a wide variety of petroleum and petrochemical products.

Rincon Industrial Park, located on the north side of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel, has more than 200 acres of land. It has all utilities available, rail service provided by three carriers, and access to an intracoastal barge canal. Rincon is assessible to US-181 and IH-37. It is also adjacent to the Port of Corpus Christi Northside General Cargo Terminal.

The Port of Corpus Christi cold storage facility is a 100,000 sq. ft (9290 sq. meter) refrigerated facility located on the Gulf of Mexico. The Port serves import and export markets of North America, Mexico, Central and South America, Europe, Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Russia. The facility is a full-service operation, providing blast freezing, repacking, and warehousing. The facility has three rooms, two of which can be converted to chill space from -20 °F, and enclosed, temperature-controlled rail, truck, and ship docks. The facility’s latest initiative is installation of a new radio frequency identification system that will allow the port to scan for cargo.

The cold storage facility is located within Foreign Trade Zone No. 122, which helps streamline U.S. Customs paperwork and allows companies to reduce, defer, or avoid duties on imports.

Rail

The Port of Corpus Christi receives service from three rail carriers: Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Texas Mexican Railway Company, and Union Pacific Railroad. The port’s public docks are served by 26 miles of port-owned rail lines operated by Corpus Christi Terminal Railroad. All three railroads have access to all docks.

Highways

Several state and federal highways connect Corpus Christi to U.S. and Mexican markets. Interstate 37 and U.S. Highway 181 are located 1 mile from the port.

Companies providing service to Corpus Christi

Air Cargo/Small Package Carriers
Customs Brokers/Freight Forwarders
Ocean Carriers & Agents
Trucking Services
Warehousing Services

Foreign Trade Zone #122

Foreign-Trade Zone No. 122 was established September 5, 1985. It was the first continental zone to have an oil refinery subzone and is one of the largest zones, encompassing 24,990 acres. The Port of Corpus Christi is the grantee for FTZ No. 122. As provided by Title 15, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 400 (Commerce and Foreign Trade), the port can sponsor a zone within a 60-mile radius or 90-minute drive time. FTZ No. 122 thus extends well beyond port properties, as users and operators are located throughout Corpus Christi as well as other nearby cities.

The Port of Corpus Christi has six general-purpose zones located in industrial parks or on port property. All general-purpose facilities are available for use by the public. The FTZ also includes twelve subzones, which are sites sponsored by a grantee on behalf of an individual firm. Subzones are single-purpose sites that cannot be operated in general-purpose zones — e.g., oil refineries and pigment manufacturers.

In 2005, receipts and transfers of petroleum products made up 87% of the total FTZ activity.

The Port of Corpus Christi’s cold storage facility, which is located within FTZ No. 122, can be activated and is used primarily at year-end to benefit users in avoiding ad valorem taxes. Texas is one of a few states that imposes an ad valorem tax on all tangible personal property. Imported merchandise and domestic merchandise designated for export held within the zone are not subject to this tax. See the Foreign-Trade Zone section of our Corpus Christi port profile for contact information.

Air Transportation

The Corpus Christi area is served by the Corpus Christi International Airport (CRP), which is a city-owned public-used airport. The airport is located 10 miles from downtown Corpus Christi. The air freight service at the airport is handled by Southwest Airlines Cargo, DHL Express, and United Parcel Services (UPS). The airport also has customs available by request. See the Airport Profile section of our Corpus Christi port profile for contact information.

Government

The Port of Corpus Christi has a variety of government offices located within the port region, including a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) service port, which has a full range of cargo processing functions, including inspections, entry, collections, and verification. In addition, the Regional Economic Development Corporation is located in Corpus Christi.

Port Contact Info
Port of Corpus Christi
P.O. Box 1541
Corpus Christi, TX 78403
Tel: (361) 882-5633
Fax: (361) 882-7110
www.portofcorpuschristi.com

On November 1, 2007, Port of Corpus Christi started the enrollment in the Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program. The TWIC compliance date for the Port of Corpus Christi was November 28, 2008.

The Port of Corpus Christi TWIC enrollment center is located at 7433 Leopard St., Room 203, Corpus Christi, TX 78409. Hours of operation are Monday thru Friday, 7 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

More information on the TWIC program is available at the Transportation Security Administration Web site and more information on port security is available at the U.S. Coast Guard’s Homeport site.

Map of the Corpus Christi Area


*Source for import and export dollar amounts: U.S. Import and Export merchandise trade statistics, USA Trade Online.

Port of Seattle

May 6, 2009

Port of Seattle at a glance

Location: Seattle, Washington

CBP Port Code: 3001

Imports: $30,212,317,613 (2008 data)*

Exports: $10,267,738,925 (2008 data)*

Total: $40,480,056,538 (2008 data)*

The Port of Seattle plays a key role in bringing international trade, transportation, and travel to the Pacific Northwest. Closer to Asia and Alaska than any other major U.S. seaport, Seattle is a gateway for products moving to and from North America. The Port also owns and operates Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

About 70% of the port’s containerized cargo originates in or is destined for regions of the country outside the Pacific Northwest. About 1.7 million containers crossed the Port’s docks last year, and Seattle has the capacity to nearly double its current container volume to 3 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).

Two major U.S. railroads are within two miles of container terminals, and two major interstate highways are within minutes of all terminals. Our Seaport Profile offers subscribers more details on the various facilities and services available at the Port.

The primary inbound cargoes at the Port of Seattle include wearing apparel, motor vehicle parts, footwear, electrical/electronic equipment/parts, games, video games, office and DP machines/parts, furniture, audio equipment, heavy machinery/machines, and toys. The primary outbound cargoes are industrial equipment, oilseed, inorganic chemicals, grains, cereals, frozen fish, beef, pork, poultry, paper, animal feeds, tobacco, and frozen vegetables.

The Port of Seattle’s top trading partners for import/export are China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Australia, Malaysia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, the Philippines, and Russia.

Terminals

At Terminal 5, APL has announced it will convert vessels to cleaner-burning, low-sulfur fuel when they call the Port of Seattle. APL’s container terminal in Seattle, Global Gateway North, features on-dock intermodal rail facilities and a computerized terminal operations system. Other steamship lines that call Terminal 5 are Hyundai Merchant Marine, MOL, and Westwood Shipping Lines.

Terminal 5 occupies 182 acres with three berths at 2,900 feet (884 meters) in length. Berth 1 is 45 feet (14 meters) in depth, and Berths 2 and 3 are 50 feet (15 meters) in depth. The terminal has six post-Panamax container-handling cranes. Refrigerated capacity offers 600 reefer plugs. The terminal has a 30-acre intermodal yard with six working tracks. The loading capacity of 54 five-platform doublestack railcars is equivalent to two full trains. Storage at the terminal covers 80,000 square feet (transit shed) with truck access. There is also an on-site 48,000 sq. ft. facility capable of handling all terminal and equipment repair and maintenance. The terminal operation are handled by Eagle Marine Services.

Terminal 18, the port’s largest container terminal, completed a major expansion in the spring of 2002. Some of the expansion highlights include the addition of 90 acres for a total terminal size of 196 acres; doubled intermodal container rail capacity, enabling cargo to be moved directly onto railcars; and improved access to the container terminal by rail and road grade separations or route changes.

Terminal 18 has four berths at 4,440 feet (1,353 meters). The container berths have a water depth of 50 feet (15 meters), and breakbulk berths have a water depth of 40 feet (12 meters). The terminal has ten post-Panamax container-handling cranes. Refrigerated capacity includes 1,227 reefer plugs. The terminal has a intermodal yard with a loading capacity of 54 five-platform doublestack railcars, equivalent to two full trains. Storage at the terminal covers 97,000 square feet (transit shed). There is also an on-site 30,000 sq. ft. facility for container and chassis repair repair. The terminal operation are handled by SSA Terminals. Steamship lines that call Terminal 18 include China Shipping, CMA CGM, CSAV, Hamburg Sud, Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk Line, Maruba Line, Nippon Yusen Kaisha Line, OOCL, and ZIM.

CMA CGM, a new shipping line for the region, will soon be using the terminal. A joint service between CMA CGM and Maersk Line will begin calling at the Port of Seattle’s Terminal 18 in June. Seattle will be the first North American port of call, followed by Vancouver, British Columbia. The container ships will then call at a variety of Asian ports before returning to Seattle.

Ships from the two lines will make weekly stops in Seattle. Fourteen vessels, each with a capacity of 6,500 TEUs, will be deployed in the joint service. Maersk and CMA CGM will use the dockside intermodal yard at Terminal 18 to move containers between ships and trains.

The Port of Seattle recently completed a major $20 million modernization project of Terminal 25 for Matson Navigation. Terminal 25 occupies 34 acres with one container berth at 1,580 feet (482 meters) in length. The container berth has a water depth of 50 feet (15 meters). The terminal has three 40 long ton Panamax cranes. Refrigerated capacity is 307 reefer plugs. The terminal is within two miles of two Class I railroads. The terminal operation are handled by SSA Terminals.

Terminal 46 is located on the southeast side of Elliot Bay, just south of downtown Seattle and just north of the the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway’s Seattle Intermodal Gateway rail yard. The port recently completed a $70 million upgrade and expansion of the terminal, and a new lease was signed with Total Terminals International (TTI) and Hanjin. The lease agreement ensures that TTI and Hanjin will remain there until 2015 and perhaps as long as 2025. Other improvements include a new 16-lane truck gate with state-of-the-art optical character recognition technology, new terminal buildings, additional container yard acreage, a stronger pier apron and a new fender system.

Terminal 46 occupies 88 acres with two container berths (a third is available) at 2,300 feet (701 meters) in length. The container berths have a water depth of 50 feet (15 meters). The terminal has five container-handling cranes (three super post-Panamax size and two post-Panamax cranes). Refrigerated capacity is 426 reefer plugs. There is also an on-site 34,000 sq. ft. facility capable of handling all terminal and equipment repair and maintenance. The terminal operation are handled by Total Terminals International. Steamship lines that call Terminal 46 include Hanjin Shipping, China Ocean Shipping Company, “K” Line, and Yang Ming Line

The Port of Seattle also has breakbulk terminals to handle a variety of general and project cargo, including more than 233 acres of space and 8,000 feet of moorage and spacious laydown areas for use by vessels of all types. The port has a 40-acre grain facility, with a capacity of 101,333 metric tons, which offers silo space for grain products such as corn, soybeans, and wheat. There is storage for up to 213,000 barrels of petroleum, molasses, and other liquid cargo, with dockside mobile cranes. The breakbulk terminals have access to four railroad routes to inland markets.

The terminals have integrated real-time computer software system for vessels, rail, and gate operations and access to Interstate 5, Interstate 90, and Interstate 509.

The Port of Seattle is served by two Class I railroads, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) and Union Pacific Railroad (UP). BNSF has added capacity and has the potential to reduce emissions at its Seattle International Gateway (SIG) intermodal facility by using four wide-span, electric, rail-mounted gantry cranes. These cranes not only produce zero emissions on site, but allow more flexibility, increase capacity and reduce the need for diesel trucks to move containers within the facility.

Air Transportation

The Seattle area is serviced by the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), which is operated by the Port of Seattle. Sea-Tac Airport is the country’s 20th busiest cargo airport and offers almost 900,000 square feet (85,000 square meters) of cargo warehouse, airmail, and office space for domestic and international air cargo activity. The total air cargo area covers 3 million square feet (280,000 square meters). The airport also has more than 1.5 million square feet of aircraft parking apron, including multiple wide-body and nose-loading 747-F positions. The airport is located 16 miles from downtown Seattle and operates 24/7 year-round. Import and export cargo at the airport in 2008 totaled $23,305,310,734.*

Seattle’s location in the northwest corner of the United States makes it an Asian gateway for much of North America. Sea-Tac also offers trans-Atlantic cargo schedules for its primary catchment area within the Northwest region with nonstop freighter services as well as belly capacity available on nonstop wide-body passenger flights. Sea-Tac currently has nonstop flights to both Europe and Asia. Additional international service is available through Federal Express and Northwest flights connecting in Anchorage.

The Seattle area is also served by the King County International Airport (also known as Boeing Field). The airport is located just 5 miles south of downtown Seattle. The King County International Airport serves small commercial passenger airlines, cargo carriers, private aircraft owners, helicopters, corporate jets, and military and other aircraft. It is also home to the Boeing Company’s 737 aircraft flight-test program, along with other Boeing operations.

Companies providing service to Seattle area
Air Cargo/Small Package Carriers
Customs Brokers/Freight Forwarders
Logistics Services
NVOCCs/Freight Consolidators
Ocean Carriers/Agents
Trucking Services
Warehousing Services

Foreign-Trade Zone #5

Foreign-Trade Zone #5 has 1.5 million sq. ft. covered and 1,400 acres uncovered storage at the Seattle Harbor and Sea-Tac Airport. Companies can take advantage of zone benefits by using the general purpose zone warehouses. Receiving imported goods through the airport’s general purpose zone, or acquiring sub-zone status, offers an opportunity for companies to reduce certain operating costs that would not apply if they were located in a foreign country. FTZ #5 is sponsored by the Port of Seattle. See the Foreign Trade Zone section of our Seattle port profile for contact information.

Government

There are many government offices located within the port region, including a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) service port, which has a full range of cargo processing functions, including inspections, entry, collections, and verification. In addition, a U.S. Export Assistance Center is located in Seattle.

Port Contact Info
Port of Seattle
2711 Alaskan Way
Seattle, WA 98121
Tel: (206) 728-3000
Fax: (206) 728-3280
www.portseattle.org

On December 13, 2007, Port of Seattle started the enrollment in the Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program. The TWIC compliance date for the Port of Seattle was February 28, 2009.

The Port of Seattle TWIC enrollment center is located at 4634 East Marginal Way South, Ste. E-120, Seattle, WA 98134. Hours of operation are Monday thru Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

More information on the TWIC program is available at the Transportation Security Administration Web site and more information on port security is available at the U.S. Coast Guard’s Homeport site.

The Future

The Puget Sound Maritime Air Emissions Inventory Project, which will be completed by the end of this year, collects baseline information on a number of air pollutants and their sources within the greater Puget Sound area and in the waters north to the border with Canada. It focuses primarily on diesel-powered maritime sources, such as ships, cargo-handling equipment, locomotives and trucks.

This is the first in a series of collaborative actions by the Puget Sound Maritime Air Forum, a regional voluntary collaboration of ports, maritime entities, air agencies and other parties with operational or regulatory responsibilities related to maritime industry air quality impacts. Led by the Port of Seattle, this effort supports voluntary emissions reductions from maritime-related activities.

This year, the port is focused on retrofitting cargo-handling equipment with alternative fuels. Next year, it will focus on retrofitting trucks. The port plans to work with PACCAR on developing pollution control devices to make them affordable. Cascade Sierra Solutions (CSS) is partnering with the port to create educational materials and provide the technical and financial assistance to truckers for technology that reduces fuel consumption and emissions. This partnership will make the same services available to drayage as well as long-haul truckers. Over time, the resulting fuel savings are expected to more than cover the cost of the equipment. Legislative efforts are underway that would help subsidize truck emission control (diesel emission reduction) devices (retrofitting/rebuilding).

Map of the Seattle Area


*Source for import and export dollar amounts: U.S. Import and Export merchandise trade statistics, USA Trade Online.

Port of Detroit

April 13, 2009

Port of Detroit at a glance

Location: Detroit, Michigan

CBP Port Code:3801

Imports: $60,684,5914,090 (2008 data)*

Exports: $76,852,500,259 (2008 data)*

Total: $137,537,091,349 (2008 data)*

The Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority was established in 1978. It is a nonprofit organization based in Detroit, whose mission is to promote commerce and enhance trade opportunities within the global marketplace through the Port of Detroit. Funding for the port authority is provided by the State of Michigan, Wayne County and the City of Detroit.

In July 2004, Detroit Marine Terminal was left without a market and was forced to shut down, due to heavy tariffs on certain foreign-sourced steel products resulting in a collapse in tonnage at the Detroit Marine Terminal. In July 2005, the former Detroit Marine Terminal, now renamed the Port of Detroit, reopened. The Ambassador Port Corp. is the general operator and equity-partner of the facility. Nicholson Terminal & Dock Co. has moved its mobile equipment to the port, with its Ecorse facility complementing the core operations at the Port of Detroit. Our Seaport Profile offers subscribers more details on the various facilities and services available at the Port.

Terminals

floating-barge-on-detroit-river-275×235.jpgThe Port of Detroit occupies 35 acres located on the Detroit River, with docks that are approximately 2,150 feet in length, and a seaway depth of 27 feet. The facility has 128,000 square feet of covered storage for rolled steel or other products.

The port includes a functionally 10-story warehouse that sits just southwest of the 35-acre marine terminal, which is currently planned for conversion by the port authority. This approximate 4-acre site will be used for enhanced storage and handling operations of bulk commodities. Part of the property also benefits from being within the boundaries of the state-designated Renaissance Zone.

The primary inbound cargoes at the Port of Detroit include steel, machinery, ferro alloys, and heavy-lift cargo. The primary outbound cargoes at the port include steel, machinery, and heavy-lift cargo.

The Port of Detroit is approximately one quarter mile from Interstate 75 to the north and the Ambassador Bridge to the east. The Ambassador Bridge connects Detroit and Windsor, Ontario. It is the one of the busiest international land border crossing in North America, accommodating 27% in annual trade between Canada and the United States. Interstates 94 and 96 are within minutes of I-75 and the bridge, as well. Downtown Detroit is approximately 4 miles east. Active rail spurs serve the former Motor City Intermodal property adjacent to, and to the west of, the Port of Detroit. The Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority plans to reactivate the rail spurs leading into the Port of Detroit to provide true multi-modal options in downtown Detroit.

two-ship-on-detroit-river-275×235.jpgNicholson Terminal & Dock Company offers two terminals, Detroit and Ecorse, both with a variety of services that include truck, rail car, and barge loading and unloading, container stuffing and stripping, securing, cargo sorting, cargo assembling, and short- and long-term storage. The terminal facilities combined have 5,550 ft. of dock length, 199,800 sq. ft. of covered storage and over 80 acres of yard space.

Nicholson Terminal & Dock Company maintains five operating berths, including one berth exclusively for repair and one face berth. These berths extend over 3,400 feet of dock length, with a depth of 27 feet.

The stevedoring service handles many types of cargo and commodities. The facilities can accommodate cargoes such as steel slabs, hot and cold rolled steel coils, and steel plate. In addition, bulk products like mill scale, cold bricketted iron, and other ferrous metal alloy materials and most heavy-lift project cargo, including machine presses and a variety of manufacturing equipment, can also be handled.

Nicholson Terminal’s equipment inventory includes a range of modern cargo-handling equipment. This includes a fleet of forklifts, tractor-trailers, crawler cranes, gantry cranes, magnets, crane buckets and locomotive engines. The 200,000 square feet of warehouse storage facilities, of which 60,000 square feet are heated, are located on approximately 47 acres of property.

The Michigan Marine Terminal is located on the Rouge River. The terminal maintains one operating berth, which is 650 feet and is used exclusively for liquid bulk products, from #2 oils to heavy residual fuels. The terminal has 14 storage tanks and has storage for 442,000-plus barrels of fuel.

The Port of Detroit is served by three Class I railroads: Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NS), Grand Trunk Western Railroad Inc. (GTW), and CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT). The Delray Connecting Railroad Company serves as the short line for the port.

Air Transportation

The Wayne County Airport Authority is responsible for the management and operation of Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and Willow Run Airport. The Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) is the 12th busiest airport in the United States and one of the busiest in the world. DTW is the largest hub and primary U.S. international gateway for Northwest Airlines. Other cargo carriers at DTW include FedEx, CSA Air, UPS, ABX Air and ASTAR Air Cargo. Import and export cargo at the airport in 2008 totaled $2,715,233,637.*

The airport’s new North Terminal replaces the existing Smith and Berry terminals. Together with the McNamara Terminal, which opened in 2002, DTW features two new terminals, nearly 150 gates, six jet runways, and two modern Federal Inspection Services facilities for international arrivals.

The Willow Run Airport (YIP) is located 7 miles west of Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. Occupying 2,600 acres, Willow Run serves cargo, corporate, and general aviation clients. The airport offers five runways, a 24-hour FAA tower, and U.S. Customs operations. It accommodates small private planes as well as large international cargo jets. Import and export cargo at the airport in 2008 totaled $641,035.*

Willow Run Airport typically handles over 400,000,000 lbs. of cargo annually, making it one of the nation’s largest airports for landed air freight flown by exclusively cargo aircraft. Willow Run Airport-based carriers transport a wide range of cargo, including high-value automotive and electronic components, emergency medical supplies, on-demand freight, mail and packages. Cargo carriers at YIP include Kalitta Air, National Airlines, Active Aero, Ameristar Jet Charter and USA Jet.

Foreign-Trade Zone

Greater Detroit Foreign Trade Zone, Inc. (GDFTZ) is the grantee of Foreign-Trade Zone #70 and is responsible for the development, marketing, and administration of foreign-trade zones in its grant area, which is essentially the metropolitan Detroit region.

The value of goods leaving GDFTZ zones in 2008 was the highest in more than 10 years. Goods valued at $12.7 billion were shipped from Detroit-area FTZs in 2008, an increase of $700 million over the previous year.

Companies providing service to Detroit area
Air Cargo/Small Package Carriers
Customs Brokers/Freight Forwarders
Logistics Services
NVOCCs/Freight Consolidators
Ocean Carriers/Agents
Trucking Services
Warehousing Services

Last year, general-purpose zone activity was the highest it has ever been. The 21 active general-purpose zones served 36 firms and handled 3,298 commodities from 18 different foreign countries. Merchandise forwarded from GDFTZ general-purpose zones was valued at more than $3.1 billion. The value of exports to other countries from these zones was $363.7 million.

During 2008, one subzone was operating in an automotive manufacturing facility, the AutoAlliance International plant in Flat Rock. Marathon Petroleum Company, L.L.C., in Detroit and Wacker Chemical Corp. in Adrian, Mich., operated the other active subzones. Twenty-one general-purpose zones served a range of companies during 2008 at six locations in the city of Detroit and in Romulus, Riverview, Melvindale, Taylor, Temperance, Troy, Wyandotte, Lincoln Park, Hamtramck, and Highland Park.

Active general-purpose zones included the Detroit International Bridge Co.; Progressive Distribution Centers, Inc., in Detroit and Melvindale; W.F. Whelan Co. in Romulus and Taylor; Metro International Trade Services, Inc., with 10 sites in Romulus, Riverview, and Detroit, among others; and Northwest Airlines, Inc., at Metro Airport. Additional zones were active at Empire Electronics in Troy, Michelin North America in Temperance, and BP Products in Taylor.

Foreign-trade zones permit foreign and domestic goods to be stored, distributed, combined with other foreign or domestic products, or used in manufacturing operations while in the zone. No customs duty is paid on goods in a zone until they are transferred to U.S. commerce. The zones encourage the export of goods since imported goods may be exported from a zone duty-free. See the Foreign-Trade Zone section of our Detroit port profile for contact information.

Government

The Port of Detroit has a full range of government offices located within the port region, including a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) service port, which has a full range of cargo processing functions, including inspections, entry, collections, and verification. In addition, an office of the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration is located in Detroit.

Port Contact Info
Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority
8109 E. Jefferson Ave.
Detroit, MI 48214
Tel: (313) 331-3842
Fax: (313) 331-5457
www.portdetroit.com

On November 29, 2007, Port of Detroit started the enrollment in the Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program. The TWIC compliance date for the Port of Detroit was on December 1, 2008.

The Port of Detroit TWIC enrollment center is located at c/o Best Western, 21700 West Rd., Woodhaven, MI 48183. Hours of operation are Monday thru Friday, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. – 5 p.m.

More information on the TWIC program is available at the Transportation Security Administration Web site and more information on port security is available at the U.S. Coast Guard’s Homeport site.

Map of Detroit Area


*Source for import and export dollar amounts: U.S. Import and Export merchandise trade statistics, USA Trade Online.

Port of Savannah

March 12, 2009

Shipping in Savannah Harbor, Savannah, Georgia.Port of Savannah at a glance

Location: Savannah, Georgia

CBP Port Code: 1703

Imports: $36,347,852,793 (2008 data)*

Exports: $24,165,652,899 (2008 data)*

Total: $60,513,505,692 (2008 data)*

The Port of Savannah, the second largest city and the chief port of Georgia, is situated on the southern bank of the Savannah River approximately 13 miles north of the Atlantic Ocean. The area surrounding Savannah is characterized by flat terrain with extensive marsh land. The Port, which is operated by the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA), consists of two terminals, Garden City Terminal and Ocean Terminal, which are both owned and operated by the GPA. Garden City Terminal is Savannah’s dedicated container terminal. The Ocean Terminal is a combination breakbulk and RoRo facility that handles a wide array of cargoes. Our Seaport Profile offers subscribers more details on the various facilities and services available at the Port.

Terminals

A secured, dedicated container terminal owned and operated by the Georgia Ports Authority and supported by a client relations center, the 1,200-acre Garden City Terminal is the fourth-largest container port in the United States and the largest single-terminal operation in North America.

Evergreen working at Garden City Terminal

The Garden City terminal has a channel width of 500 feet with 9 berths. The total berthing length is 9,693 feet. The terminal also has reefer service, RoRo services, over 400 acres of container storage and 1.42 milion square feet of warehousing with cold storage available. Garden City Terminal has 37 interchange lanes with 25 pre-check lanes; there are 10 portal approach lanes. Gates 3 and 4 are equipped with 120,000 LB (54,431 KG) capacity truck scales and over-height sensing devices. Fully integrated computer and radio frequency communications are utilized for rapid cargo throughout.

Some 17 high-volume retail import distribution centers take advantage of the port’s intermodal potentia. Together, Savannah-area distribution centers combine to cover over 14 million square feet and generate in excess of 500,000 twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEUs)  of traffic annually.

On February 23, the GPA announced the arrival of four new super post-Panamax cranes at the Port of Savannah. The new cranes arrived aboard the Dockwise M/V Tern, a specially designed vessel capable of moving large, heavy structures.

With the addition of the new cranes, Garden City Terminal now has the largest fleet (23) of ship-to-shore cranes at one facility in the United States. The new cranes, which can handle super post-Panamax vessels that are 22 containers wide, are expected to be operational by mid-summer 2009. Fully assembled, the cranes are approximately 425 feet long, weigh 1,369 tons and rise 180 feet above the water with a 34-degree incline. The cranes will be powered solely by electricity.

Ocean Terminal is a secured, dedicated breakbulk and RoRo facility owned and operated by the GPA. Forest and solid wood products, steel, industrial and farm equipment, automobiles, project shipments, and heavy-lift cargoes regularly move through the 208-acre, 10-berth facility. The terminal has 6,674 linear feet of deepwater berthing, 1.5 million square feet of covered storage, and 83 acres of open storages. Transit sheds and warehouses are equipped with alongside rail and truck capabilities to expedite the handling of breakbulk and container stripping/stuffing operations.

The Port’s top imports are furniture, retail goods, machinery, hardware/houseware, mineral (tile & stone), toys, food (fish, veg. and beer/wine), automobile, apparel, rugs, sheets, towels and blankets. Based on import container volumes, Northeast Asia is Savannah’s largest partner.

Ocean Terminal European Hardwood

Primary exports through Savannah include wood pulp, paper and paper waste, food (poultry and citrus), clay, fabrics and raw cotton, chemicals, retail goods, machinery, resins and rubber and automotive goods. Based on export container volumes, northeast Asia is the largest export destination.

Rail and Interstate Service

Garden City Terminal OperationsThe Port of Savannah’s Garden City Terminal and Ocean Terminal are gateways to rail and road distribution networks to markets across the U.S. Southeast and Midwest. Both terminals are served by Class I railroads. In addition, Garden City Terminal’s on-terminal intermodal container transfer facility (ICTF) provides unrestricted double-stack service to hubs throughout the Midwest, Gulf Coast, and Southeast, including overnight service to Atlanta. Upon request, a privately operated shuttle car is available for on-terminal switching 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Line-haul services are provided by Norfolk Southern Railroad and CSX Transportation.

With regard to highways and road transport, the Port of Savannah has access to Interstates 95 (North/South) and 16 (East/West), which are within minutes of both terminals.

Future Expansion

The Georgia Ports Authority is planning to invest $1.2 billion in expansion projects over the next decade to accommodate the projected growth in global trade.

China Shipping working at Garden City TerminalGarden City Terminal is scheduled to add on average two high-speed super post-Panamax container cranes every 18 months, for a total of 25 cranes, as well as 86 rubber-tired gantries (RTG) as part of long-term developments for a full RTG conversion at the facility. To accommodate larger vessels, the Georgia Ports Authority is in the process of increasing the depth of the Savannah River Navigation Channel from 42 to 48 feet MLW (12.8 to 14.6 meters). Completion of this project is projected for 2010.

Ocean Terminal has acreage available for the development of additional open, paved storage for processing of RoRo cargo.

The GPA anticipates that these expansion projects, together with others identified under the GPA’s long-term strategic development plan, will increase throughput capacity from the current 2.62 million TEUs to 6 million TEUs in 2018.

Foreign-Trade Zone #104

Savannah Airport Commission owns and operates Savannah Foreign-Trade Zone #104. Savannah Foreign-Trade Zone #104 is located at the airport, one mile from Hwy 80, 1.5 miles from Georgia Highway 21, and 3 miles from U.S. Interstate 16, U.S, Interstate 95 and U.S. Highway 17. It is 3.5 miles from the Georgia Ports Authority. The FTZ is a specially designated area where domestic and international merchandise can be placed without formal customs entry and without payment of duties and taxes. The basic purpose of the zone is to encourage international commerce.

The FTZ consist of six sites: Site 1 has 32 acres at the Savannah Int’l Airport and 50,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space; Site 2 has 839 acres at the Port of Savannah’s Garden City Terminal and 226 acres at the Ocean Terminal; Site 3 has 1820 acres at the Crossroads Business Center on I-95; Site 4 has 300 acres at the Savannah Port Authority Industrial Park; Site 5 has 24.45 acres at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center; and Site 6 has 1182 acres at Mulberry Grove Plantation at Georgia Ports Authority. See the Foreign Trade Zone section of our Savannah port profile for contact information.

Companies providing service to Savannah

Air Cargo/Small Package Carriers
Customs Brokers/Freight Forwarders
Ocean Carriers & Agents
Trucking Services
Warehousing Services

Local Airport

The Savannah area is served by the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV). The airport is located 7 miles northwest of Savannah, just off Interstate 95. SAV has a total of two cargo terminals. The airport cargo carriers include FedEx, Airborne Freight Cargo, and Delta. The cargo facilities include a bonded warehouse and heated storage. Health officials are available, and  dangerous goods and very large/heavy cargo can be accommodated. There is an express/courier center, 50,000 square feet of warehousing, and the 32-acre FTZ site. The airport handled 9,019 tons of cargo (freight/express/mail) during 2008.

Also in the Area

The Savannah area includes a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) service port, which has a full range of cargo processing functions, including inspections, entry, collections, and verification.

Port Contact Info
Georgia Ports Authority
2 Main St.
Garden City, GA 31408
Tel: (912) 964-3811
Fax: (912) 964-3921
www.gaports.com

On November 11, 2007, Port of Savannah started the enrollment in the Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program. The program’s goal is to ensure that any individual who has unescorted access to secure areas of port facilities and vessels has received a thorough background check and is not a security threat. The TWIC compliance date for the Port of Savannah was on December 1, 2008.

The Port of Savannah TWIC enrollment center is located at 5214 Augusta Rd., Garden City, GA 31408. Hours of operation are Monday thru Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

More information on the TWIC program is available at the Transportation Security Administration Web site and more information on port security is available at the U.S. Coast Guard’s Homeport site.

Map of Savannah Area


*Source for import and export dollar amounts: U.S. Import and Export merchandise trade statistics, USA Trade Online.

Port of Mobile

February 11, 2009

Port of Mobile at a glance

Location: Mobile, Alabama

CBP Port Code: 1901

Imports: $5,867,487,904 (2007 data)*

Exports: $2,271,631,267 (2007 data)*

Total: $8,139,119,171 (2007 data)*

The deep-water Port of Mobile, which is owned and operated by the Alabama State Port Authority, is located along the Mobile River where it empties into Mobile Bay. The Port has direct access to miles of inland and intracoastal waterways serving the Great Lakes, the Ohio and Tennessee river valleys (via the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway), and the Gulf of Mexico. The public terminals handle containerized, bulk, breakbulk, roll-on/roll-off, and heavy lift cargoes. The Port has 37 berths and over 3 million square feet of warehousing and open yards. There are three barge unloaders, one barge loader, three stacker/reclaimers, two rail car dumps, and two ship loaders/unloaders. Our Seaport Profile offers subscribers more details of the various facilities and services available at the Port.

The Port’s primary imports are containers, coal, aluminum, iron, steel, copper, lumber, wood pulp, plywood, fence posts, veneers, roll and cut paper, cement, and chemicals. Primary exports include containers, coal, lumber, plywood, wood pulp, laminate, flooring, roll and cut paper, iron, steel, frozen poultry, soybeans, and chemicals.

On January 29, Maersk Line announced that Mobile would be one of the ports added to its Expreso service. The first Maersk vessel in the new service left from Mobile on January 31, 2009. The new Expreso rotation will include the following ports: Manzanillo - Cartagena - Barranquila - Manzanillo - Puerto Limon - Puerto Cortes - Santo Tomas - Mobile - New Orleans - Houston - Progreso - Santo Tomas - Belize Port - Puerto Cortes - Manzanillo.

The Port of Mobile is well-situated for intermodal transportation. It is served by five Class I railroads: Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), Canadian National Railway (CN), CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT), Kansas City Southern Railway Company (KCS), and Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NS). There is access to two major interstate highways in Mobile as well. Interstate 10 runs northeast to southwest across the city, while Interstate 65 starts in Mobile at Interstate 10 and runs north. Interstate 165 connects to Interstate 65 north of the city. Other major highways systems include US 31, US 43, US 45, US 90, and US 98.

Mobile Container Terminal LLC, a joint venture between APM Terminals, Terminal Link (a subsidiary of CMA CGM), and the Alabama State Port Authority, officially opened on November 6, 2008.

The terminal is intended to offer an improved option in the U.S. Gulf for reaching Midwest markets, as well as Alabama and neighboring states. The container terminal is adjacent to I-10 and only 5 miles from I-65. Because it possesses a 45-foot channel and 2,000 feet of deepwater berth, the terminal is able to handle most post-Panamax vessels. There is room available for DC expansion close to the terminal and a near-dock rail facility.

The Mobile area is served by the Mobile Regional Airport (MOB). MOB has a total of two cargo terminals. The carriers include Continental, Delta Airlines, Northwest Airlink, and United Express. The cargo facilities comprise a bonded warehouse, heated storage, air-conditioned storage, refrigerated storage, animal quarantine, very large/heavy cargo, and an express/courier center. The airport also has customs available on-site, and health officials are available.

Companies providing service to Mobile

Air Cargo/Small Package Carriers
Customs Brokers/Freight Forwarders
Ocean Carriers & Agents
Trucking Services
Warehousing Services

Foreign Trade Zone #82 offers an opportunity for manufacturing or distribution firms to develop additional U.S. and overseas markets. The FTZ offers such services as storage of import/export goods without full customs or government taxes/formalities and duty- free inventory management and control, distribution, and manufacturing. Companies may take advantage of zone benefits by using the general-purpose zone warehouses. A full range of port services is available. See the Foreign Trade Zone section of our Mobile port profile for contact information.

The Mobile area has a variety of government offices, including a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) service port, which has a full range of cargo processing functions, including inspections, entry, collections, and verification.

Port Contact Info
Alabama State Port Authority
250 N. Water St.
Mobile, AL 36602
Tel: (251) 441-7003
Fax: (251) 441-7216
www.asdd.com

On October 2, 2008, CBP unveiled the first radiation portal monitors at the Port of Mobile. A radiation portal is a detection device that provides CBP with a passive, non-intrusive means to screen trucks and other conveyances for the presence of nuclear and radiological materials. These systems are capable of detecting various types of radiation emanating from nuclear devices, dirty bombs, special nuclear materials, natural sources, and isotopes commonly used in medicine and industry.

On December 5, 2007, the Port of Mobile started enrollment in the Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program. The program’s goal is to ensure that any individual who has unescorted access to secure areas of port facilities and vessels has received a thorough background check and is not a security threat. The TWIC compliance date for the Port of Mobile was December 30, 2008.

The TWIC enrollment center is located at 250 N. Water St., Mobile, AL 36602. Hours of operation are Monday thru Friday, 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. It is open on Saturday as well, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

More information on the TWIC program is available at the Transportation Security Administration Web site and more information on port security is available at the U.S. Coast Guard’s Homeport site.

Map of Mobile Area


*Source for import and export dollar amounts: U.S. Import and Export merchandise trade statistics, USA Trade Online.

Port of Anchorage

January 7, 2009

Port of Anchorage at a glance

Location: Anchorage, Alaska

CBP Port Code: 3126

Imports: $35,456,467,217 (2007 data)*

Exports: $1,162,479,299,253 (2007 data)*

Total: $1,197,935,766,470 (2007 data)*

The Port of Anchorage first began operations in September 1961. In that year, more than 38,000 tons of marine cargo moved across its single berth. The 1964 Alaska earthquake, and the tsunami that it generated, destroyed the two ports that served south-central Alaska at that time. The Port of Anchorage, on the other hand, suffered only minor damage and was operational again within days. Consequently, all the materials shipped to Alaska to rebuild the state came through the Anchorage facility. Our Seaport Profile offers subscribers more details on the various facilities and services available at the port.

Since 1964, the port has expanded to a five-berth terminal providing facilities for the movement of containerized freight, bulk petroleum, and cement. Today, more than four million tons of materials move across its docks each year. The port serves 80% of Alaska’s population and handles 90% of the consumer goods of Alaska.

Anchorage is served twice weekly by two major carriers that originate in Tacoma, Washington. Totem Ocean Trailer Express (TOTE) is a roll on-roll off carrier, and Horizon Lines is a lift on-lift off carrier. One additional container vessel per week occurs seasonally. Bulk shipments are both domestic and foreign and involve imports of basic commodities such as cement, refined petroleum products, and construction materials. In addition to containerized freight, the port handles most of Alaska’s refined petroleum products, including 100% of the jet fuel for Elmendorf Air Force Base and over 80% for Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. Ships from Asia call frequently, transporting construction materials and bulk cement. The port serves as the primary export facility for the state’s largest petroleum refinery as well.

A 129-acre industrial park adjoins the port to the east. Approximately 81 acres of the park are under long-term lease to various port users. There are also 31 acres for staging and storing marine cargo in transit; a majority of that acreage is at present occupied by TOTE and Horizon.

The port is expecting continued growth into the future. To keep pace with the trends in the shipping industry, the port needs to be prepared to accommodate larger ships, with deeper drafts, and wider beams.

Towards that end, starting in 2003, the Port of Anchorage undertook an initiative to expand and modernize. If able to stay on schedule, by 2015 the port will double in size. The port’s expansion program hasthree phases:

  1. Road and Rail Extension (completed in 2006) - improved cargo flow and made the Port intermodal
  2. North Terminal (started in 2006) - intended to accommodate increased barge shipments, support Alaskan construction projects, and improve coordination between barge and container ship traffic.
  3. Dock Expansion (to span 2008-2014) - has the following goals:
    • Accommodate up to 1,000-foot ships.
    • Berth ships requiring deeper drafts.
    • Support the addition of 3 new 100-gauge container cranes.
    • Improve and expand passenger ship, container ship, bulk material, and petroleum handling.

The Anchorage area is served by Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC). ANC is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It has a total of six cargo terminals and is served by several air cargo carriers, including Air China, Atlas Air, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways, China Cargo Airlines Ltd., Evergreen International, FedEx, Nippon Cargo Airlines, Polar Air Cargo, Singapore Airlines, and UPS. The cargo facilities has twenty 747 Freighter docks, a bonded warehouse, heated storage, air-conditioned storage, refrigerated storage, deep freeze storage, animal quarantine, health officials available, and more. The airport also has customs available on-site.

Companies providing service to Anchorage

Air Cargo/Small Package Carriers
Customs Brokers/Freight Forwarders
Ocean Carriers & Agents
Trucking Services

The Municipality of Anchorage is the Grantee of Anchorage Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) #160. The Port of Anchorage is the municipal department responsible for the administration of the FTZ program in Anchorage. At the present time FTZ #160 comprises seven sites, totaling some 1,000 acres located at the Port of Anchorage, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, and five private sites throughout the Municipality. An application for subzone status for the Tesoro Petroleum refinery in Kenai was approved by the United States Department of Commerce, Foreign-Trade Zones Board in May 2001. See the Foreign Trade Zone section of our Anchorage area port profile for contact information.

The Anchorage area has a variety of government offices located within the port region, including a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) service port, which has a full range of cargo processing functions, including inspections, entry, collections, and verification.

Port Contact Info
Port of Anchorage
2000 Anchorage Port Rd.
Anchorage, AK 99501
Tel: (907) 343-6200
Fax: (907) 277-5636
www.muni.org/port

On May 8, 2008, Port of Anchorage started the enrollment in the Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program. The program’s goal is to ensure that any individual who has unescorted access to secure areas of port facilities and vessels has received a thorough background check and is not a security threat. Thousands of workers are expected to enroll over the coming months at the Port of Anchorage. The TWIC compliance date for the Port of Anchorage is scheduled for February 12, 2009.

The Port of Anchorage TWIC enrollment center is located at 619 E. Ship Creek Ave., Anchorage, AK 99501. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

More information on the TWIC program is available at the Transportation Security Administration Web site, and more information on port security is available at the U.S. Coast Guard’s Homeport site.

Map of Anchorage Area


*Source for import and export dollar amounts: U.S. Import and Export merchandise trade statistics, USA Trade Online.

Port of Pembina

December 10, 2008

Port of Pembina at a glance

Location: Pembina, North Dakota

CBP Port Code: 3401

Imports: $8,026,035,208 (2007 data)*

Exports: $9,577,750,638 (2007 data)*

Total: $17,603,785,846 (2007 data)*

The Pembina Land Port of Entry is located on the 49th parallel between Canada and the United States on Interstate 29, approximately 1 mile north of Pembina, North Dakota. Emerson, Manitoba, is the closest city in Canada.

The port is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The current facility was built in 1998.

The Pembina port of entry processes the following:

  • Non-commercial primary and secondary vehicle inspection;
  • Commercial primary and secondary vehicle inspection;
  • Bus inspection;
  • Private aircraft inspection;
  • Cargo train inspection; and
  • Outbound inspection.

The Port has a variety of technology that can be used to screen and inspect traffic, which includes:

  • Radiation portal monitors (RPMs);
  • X-ray van;
  • Mobile gamma-imaging system;
  • Relocateable gamma-imaging system; and
  • Rail gamma-imaging system.

Radiation Portal Monitors (RPM) are located in each lane and are used to detect the presence of nuclear or radiological materials. All conveyances entering the United States at the Pembina port of entry are screened through one of 10 RPM’s.

The commercial building has four cargo booths for the clearing of commercial conveyances. The building has a loading dock with six inspection doors that can be utilized for the inspection of freight arriving into the United States. The commercial side has two pieces of non-intrusive inspection equipment: aA mobile gamma imaging system and relocateable gamma imaging system. Both inspection systems utilize a radioactive source to scan conveyances as they enter the United States.

Rail processing is conducted off site at the Noyes, Minnesota, train depot. Two rail lines cross at this depot, and officers from the Pembina port of entry drive over to the depot to clear and inspect trains. A rail gamma imaging system is located on both lines for the non-intrusive inspection of all trains entering the United States. Two off-load facilities are also located at each rail line for the inspection of freight.

Companies providing service to Pembina area
Air Cargo/Small Package Carriers
Customs Brokers/Freight Forwarders
Trucking Services
Warehousing Services

Private aircraft can fly into a small airport just south of the town of Pembina. Officers from the Port drive to that location as well to clear and inspect incoming aircraft when they arrive from Canada.

Foreign-Trade Zone #103 consists of 48 acres located at two Grand Forks, N.D., sites — at the Grand Forks International Airport and in the Grand Forks Industrial Park. The zone grantee and operator is the Grand Forks Regional Airport Authority. Both sites are accessible from highways I-29 and US2. The Grand Forks Industrial Park site has a 33,000 sq. ft. building for warehousing activity and open space for firms requiring separate facilities. The Foreign-Trade section of our Pembina port profile offers contact information.

The Pembina port of entry is served by Grand Forks International Airport (GFK). The airport has one cargo terminal and is served by the following airlines: UPS (feeder), Corporate Air, FedEx Express, Mesaba Aviation, Northwest Airlines. The cargo facilities have a capacity of 15,000 metric tons (33,069,000 lbs); they are equipped to handle dangerous goods, radioactive goods, and very large/heavy cargo. There is also an express/courier center. Other airports serving the Pembina area include Minot International Airport and Sloulin Field International Airport. Both airports have Customs available on-site. See the Airport Profile section of our Pembina port profile for contact information.

On December 6, 2008, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced the arrival of its first Predator B Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) on the northern border. This system — in use since 2005 on the southwest border — is intended to enhance border security efforts and support CBP personnel on the ground along the northern border with Canada. The UAS is slated to begin operational flights as early as January 2009. CBP Air Interdiction agents flew the aircraft from Fort Huachuca Army Airfield in Sierra Vista, Ariz., and landed at its permanent duty station at Grand Forks Air Force Base in Grand Forks, N.D.

CBP opened the Grand Forks Air Branch, the fourth of five branches on the northern border, in 2007. Grand Forks provides a strategic, central location for UAS operations in support of law enforcement personnel throughout the region. The terrain, which ranges from densely forested lands on the west and east coasts to open plains in the middle of the country, comprises many sparsely populated lands with limited federal, state, and local law enforcement presence along the immediate border area. CBP hopes that the UAS will serve as a valuable tool in securing U.S. borders and supporting information sharing among law enforcement entities in this vast geography.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Contact Info
Service Port-Pembina
10980 Hwy. 29
Pembina, ND 58271
Tel: (701) 825-6551
Fax: (701) 825-6567
www.cbp.gov

Map of Pembina Area


*Source for import and export dollar amounts: U.S. Import and Export merchandise trade statistics, USA Trade Online.

Port of Boston

November 7, 2008

Port of Boston at a glance

Location: Boston, Massachusetts

CBP Port Code: 0401

Imports: $8,784,764,753 (2007 data)*

Exports: $1,591,705,390 (2007 data)*

Total: $10,376,470,143 (2007 data)*

The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) is an independent public authority, responsible for operating a number of airport and seaport facilities. Massport owns, operates, and leases approximately 500 acres of property in Charlestown, East Boston, and South Boston, located within what is call a Designated Port Area (DPA), restricted to maritime industrial activities supporting the working Port of Boston. The Port of Boston handles more than 1.3 million tons of general cargo, 1.5 million tons of non-fuel bulk cargo, and 12.8 million tons of bulk fuel cargo yearly. Containerized cargo shipments go through Conley Terminal in South Boston, and Moran Terminal is currently leased to Boston Autoport for the import and distribution of automobiles. Our Seaport Profile offers subscribers more details on the various facilities and services available at the Port.

The Port of Boston’s trading areas include Europe, the Mediterranean, North and South Asia, the Middle East, and South America. The Port is served by 22 ocean carriers offering direct and transshipment service between Boston and the ports of the world. A consortium of four steamship line calls Boston with direct weekly outbound and inbound service to China. The partners are China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO), “K” Line, Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp., and Hanjin Shipping.

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) calls the Port of Boston twice weekly. Boston is the last outbound call for MSC’s weekly service to North Europe (Bremerhaven, Felixstowe, Antwerp, and Le Havre), and is the first inbound call for MSC’s weekly inbound service from the Mediterranean. Columbia Coastal Transport provides a weekly barge service between Boston and New York carrying containers from other shipping carriers moving cargo into and out of New England.

The Port’s top containerized import cargoes include furniture, toys, beer and wine, waste paper, and non-alcoholic beverages. The top containerized export cargoes that move through the Port of Boston include waste paper, synthetic resins, lumber, hides and skins, and non-alcoholic beverages.

Terminals

Conley Container Terminal is the nucleus of Boston’s cargo-handling network. More than 600 containers are processed through Conley Container Terminal per day. It’s features include the following:

  • Fully dedicated terminal, 101 acres;
  • 2000 feet of berthing space, including 1100 ft. at a depth of 45 ft. and 900 ft. at a depth of 40 ft;
  • Four post-Panamax cranes;
  • 10-lane gate facility with computer tracking system;
  • Combined wheeled and grounded operation;
  • Access to a rail transfer facility; and
  • Reefer capacity for 160 containers.

The web-based Gate and Yard Automated System (GYAS) at Conley Terminal, designed by Maher Terminal Logistics Systems, is the latest in a series of capital program improvements Massport has undertaken at Conley. Carriers and shippers now have access to real-time information about their container(s) movements through Conley. This software also gives Massport an automated approach to yard management, providing the most efficient and productive use of terminal staff and yard storage space. This system is designed for use by carriers, truckers, brokers, and forwarders.

Massport, in cooperation with the Massachusetts Highway Department and the City of Boston, has developed a permitted overweight container route between Conley Terminal, near-dock sites in Boston, and the CSXT rail transfer facility 6 miles to the west. This allows up to 99,000 lbs. in gross weight of a container, chassis, and tractor to move within the port district subject to permits.

Automobile imports and exports are an important niche market for the Port of Boston. In order to handle this cargo, the Boston Autoport opened in Charlestown at the 65-acre former Moran Container Terminal and Mystic Pier One. The Boston Autoport offers automobile import, processing, and distribution for approximately 50,000 cars per year as well as covered storage.

Other Maritime Properties

In addition to Boston Autoport, maritime industrial facilities located in Charlestown include Mystic Piers 48, 49, and 50, and the Medford Street Terminal.

Together, Mystic Piers 48, 49, and 50 form a waterfront bulk cargo terminal just east of the Tobin Bridge, covering approximately 3½ acres. Located in the Mystic River DPA, the site has been used since the 1980s to import, store, and distribute salt. The site has berthing space of approximately 100 x 400 ft. with a deck height of 18 ft. and a 35 ft. deep water at Mean Low Water( MLW).

The Medford Street Terminal is made up of the former Revere Sugar Refinery and Somerville Lumber warehouse properties. Massport purchased these properties in 1986. The total Medford Street Terminal site is approximately 14 acres.

International Cargo Port is located at 88 Black Falcon Avenue in South Boston. The facility houses various companies and organizations involved in international trade and commerce, including the U.S. Customs Document Analysis Unit. International Cargo Port Boston is accessible by truck, rail, and ship and is located in Foreign Trade Zone #27.

Multiple off-dock transloading facilities including warehouse space, refrigerated and freezer facilities for perishables, and several trucking operations are available close to Massport maritime facilities. More facilities are in the planning stage at the new Massachusetts Marine Terminal in South Boston.

Boston also hosts an enormous complex of privately owned petroleum and liquefied natural gas terminals, which supply more than 90% of Massachusetts’ petroleum consumption needs.

The Port of Boston has access to interstate highways I-93, I-90, and I-95. Rail service is provided by CSXT.

Companies that pay the federal Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT) for goods moving through Massachusetts ports are eligible for a dollar-for-dollar tax credit against Massachusetts corporate excise (income) tax. The HMT credit applies to containerized cargo, breakbulk cargo, and road vehicles. For further information on HMT, call the Massachusetts Department of Revenue at (617) 626-3250.

Port Contact Info
Massachusetts Port Authority
Maritime Division
One Harborside Dr., Ste. 200S
East Boston, MA 02128
Tel: (617) 946-4429
Fax: (617) 946-4466
http://www.massport.com/

Air Transportation

Boston’s Logan International Airport is operated by Massport. In 2007, Logan moved 632 million pounds of cargo and express packages through its two cargo terminals. The airport is served by the several cargo carriers, including ABX Air, AirNet Systems, Capital Cargo International, DHL, FedEx Express, Skylink Express and UPS Airlines. The airport boundary encompasses approximately 2,400 acres in East Boston and Winthrop, Massachusetts. Logan enjoys direct airport access to the U.S. interstate highway system and is minutes from downtown and the seaport.

Companies providing service to Boston area
Air Cargo/Small Package Carriers
Customs Brokers/Freight Forwarders
Logistics Services
NVOCCs/Freight Consolidators
Ocean Carriers/Agents
Trucking Services
Warehousing Services

Foreign-Trade Zone #27

Massport’s general purpose foreign-trade zone (FTZ) #27 consists of 129 acres  located at various sites around Boston Harbor. Because of its proximity to Logan International Airport and the public terminals in the Port of Boston, FTZ #27 serves importers to the New England region and wider domestic markets as well as exporters to markets worldwide. Companies may take advantage of zone benefits by using the general purpose zone warehouses. A full range of port services is available. See the Foreign-Trade Zone section of our Boston port profile for contact information.

Government

There are a number of government offices located within the port region, including a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) service port, which has a full range of cargo processing functions, including inspections, entry, collections, and verification. In addition, an office of the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration is located in Boston.

On November 30, 2007, Port of Boston started the enrollment in the Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program. The program’s goal is to ensure that any individual who has unescorted access to secure areas of port facilities and vessels has received a thorough background check and is not a security threat. Thousands of workers are expected to enroll over the coming months at the Port of Boston. As of November 3, 2008, workers in the New England ports already in compliance became able to activate their cards, including the Port of Boston.

The Port of Boston TWIC enrollment center is located at Boston Autoport, 100 Terminal St., Charlestown, MA 02129. Hours of operation are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m., and 12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

More information on the TWIC program is available at the Transportation Security Administration Web site and more information on port security is available at the United States Coast Guard’s Homeport site.

Map of Boston Area


*Source for import and export dollar amounts: U.S. Import and Export merchandise trade statistics, USA Trade Online.

Port of Tampa

October 9, 2008

Port of Tampa at a glance

Location: Tampa, Florida

CBP Port Code: 1801

Imports: $1,964,828,727 (2007 data)*

Exports: $2,549,480,455 (2007 data)*

Total: $4,514,309,182 (2007 data)*

As Florida’s largest port, Tampa handles approximately 50 millions tons of cargo per year. The Port of Tampa is home to a diverse traffic base, with an extensive array of terminal facilities encompassing container, bulk, break bulk, ro-ro, and project cargoes, with 1 million square feet of warehousing and cold storage facilities. Our Seaport Profile offers subscribers more details on the various facilities and services available at the Port. The port’s location permits a direct route between Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean and the region’s expanding load center hubs. Tampa is also the closest full-service U.S. port to the Panama Canal.

The Port of Tampa has long been a premier ports for the shipment of fertilizer products. Moreover, Tampa handles the gasoline and jet fuel needs of the region, with increasing volumes of ethanol moving through the port. Shipments of fertilizer and petroleum products account for almost 75% of the nearly 50 million tons of cargo that passes through the port annually.

The largest component of the fertilizer industry segment is outbound shipments of phosphate rock and fertilizer. The industry has gone through significant consolidation, as illustrated by the recent merger of Cargill and IMC into MOSAIC. Even with the market consolidation, however, central Florida remains the phosphate capital of the world.

Tampa now also sees a notable volume of building materials needed to support construction in central Florida, including cement, aggregate, lumber, and steel. Tampa is also handling a growing number of vehicles.

The fastest growing business is the port’s container trade, driven primarily by the success of Zim Integrated Shipping Services’ weekly Asia-Gulf Express service, linking Tampa directly with Asia and providing connections across the globe. More than 100 key Tampa-area importers and exporters, controlling more than 200,000 TEUs per year, have come together under the banner of the Executive Shippers Council to support the port authority’s efforts to expand container shipping services at the port.

The Port of Tampa has an aggressive capital improvement program under way, with a $90 million program planned this year and an emphasis on continued expansion of the port’s container terminal. Together with its terminal operating partner, Ports America, the port authority is following through on plans to add a full range of new infrastructure and an annual capacity of at least 750,000 TEUs. The port’s newly unveiled strategic and master plans entail the acquisition of additional container cranes and yard equipment, expansion of paved storage and reefer plugs, and development of a new gate complex.

Extension of Berth 213 is under way and is set to be completed this month. This will bring the total container berth length to more than 2,100 feet. Ports America is reviewing various design options to expand the terminal to more than 125 acres.

Titan Metal Service recently opened a new 50,000-square-foot steel-processing facility at the port. The facility is equipped with features such as 30- and 15-ton cranes, an indoor rail spur, and indoor service for truck loading and unloading.

“Titan Metal Service’s opening enhances Tampa’s viability as a long-term provider of steel coils to the southeastern market and further solidifies the role of the port as a full-service steel distribution center gateway,” said Richard Wainio, Port Director.

Despite the current construction downturn, the Tampa Port Authority signed new lease agreements in the last 12 months with cement and aggregate companies Cemex and Cimentos Andinos. The most recent addition to its cement business was Titan America’s new terminal at Hooker’s Point. Additional capacity is expected to begin operations in the coming months with new cement and aggregate facilities by Gaetano Cacciatore Inc., and Votorantim Cimentos North America. Votorantim is a 70-year old Brazilian-based company and is the seventh-largest cement producer in the world. Gaetano Cacciatore is a subsidiary of Denmark’s Aalborg Portland A/S.

The growth and diversity of the general cargo business has been a priority of the port’s capital improvements campaign. Major import cargoes handled at the Port are petroleum products, coal, liquid sulphur, steel products, anhydrous ammonia, limestone, cement, vehicles, and containerized cargo. Chief export cargoes are bulk phosphate, scrap metal, citrus pellets, containerized cargo, and vehicles.

Based on container volumes for CY 2007, Mexico is now the Port’s largest trading partner. Other leading trading partners include Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, India, Japan, Russia, and Trinidad & Tobago.

Companies providing service to Tampa

Air Cargo/Small Package Carriers
Customs Brokers/Freight Forwarders
Ocean Carriers & Agents
Trucking Services
Warehousing Services

The port has access to I-275, I-75, and I-4. Rail service is provided by CSXT.

Tampa International Airport (TPA) provides cargo access to regional, national, and international markets. Air cargo carriers include ABX, Airborne Express, Bankair, DHL, Worldwide Express, Emery Worldwide, Federal Express, Flight Express Services, U.S. Check, and the U.S. Postal Service. The primary all-cargo carriers serving TPA are Airborne Express and Federal Express. The total cargo for CY 2007 was 101,464 tons (tonnage).

The number one commodities shipped by air out of Florida are industrial/commercial machinery and computers, followed by smaller electrical/electronic machinery and supplies. The third most popular export group includes optical instruments and lenses, medical and dental equipment, and photographic equipment.

Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) #79 offers manufacturing or distribution firms the opportunity to develop additional U.S. and overseas markets. FTZ #79 contains four general purpose sites: one large warehouse complex near the Port of Tampa Air Cargo Facility; Tampa International Airport; 20 acres of vacant land near the University of South Florida, and 20 acres of vacant land near the airport. Companies may take advantage of zone benefits by utilizing the general purpose zone warehouses. Receiving imported goods through the airport’s general purpose zone, or acquiring sub-zone status, offers an opportunity for local companies to reduce certain operating costs that would not apply if they were located in a foreign country. Basically, U.S. production within a zone is treated the same as foreign production for U.S. Customs duty purposes. See the Foreign-Trade Zone section of our Tampa port profile for contact information.

The Port of Tampa has a variety of government offices located within the port region, including a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) service port, which has a full range of cargo processing functions, including inspections, entry, collections, and verification. In addition, an office of the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration is located in Clearwater.

Port Contact Info
Tampa Port Authority
1101 Channelside Dr.
P.O. Box 2192
Tampa, FL 33602
Tel: (813) 905-7678
Fax: (813) 905-5109
mailto:info@tampaport.com
www.tampaport.com

On February 21, 2008, the Port of Tampa launched enrollment in the Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program. The program’s goal is to ensure that any individual who has unescorted access to secure areas of port facilities and vessels has received a thorough background check and is not a security threat.

The Port of Tampa TWIC enrollment center is located at 2604 E. 7th Ave., Tampa, FL 33605. Hours of operation are Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

More information on the TWIC program is available at the Transportation Security Administration website and more information on port security is available at the U.S. Coast Guard’s Homeport site.

Map of Tampa Area



*Source for import and export dollar amounts: U.S. Import and Export merchandise trade statistics, USA Trade Online.

Port of Oakland

September 4, 2008

Port of Oakland at a glance

Location: Oakland, California

CBP Port Code: 2811

Imports: $24,400,000,000 (2007 data)

Exports: $11,400,000,000 (2007 data)

Total: $35,800,000,000 (2007 data)

The Port of Oakland is an international cargo transportation and distribution hub situated along approximately 20 miles of Oakland’s waterfront. Oakland was among the first ports globally to specialize in the intermodal container operations. The Port has spent more than $1.4 billion to construct 1,210 acres of marine terminals, an intermodal rail facility, and a maritime support area. The Port of Oakland owns, manages, and markets seaport facilities on San Francisco Bay and the Oakland Estuary. The Maritime division also leases and rents facilities for railroad and trucking operations for transporting import and export cargo.

The Port of Oakland is an autonomous department of the City of Oakland. Oakland has operated a public harbor to serve waterborne commerce since its incorporation in 1852 and has operated an airport since 1927. The seven-member Oakland Board of Port Commissioners has exclusive control and management of the harbor and the Airport under the City Charter. Our Seaport Profile offers subscribers more details on the various facilities and services available at the Port.

The Port of Oakland is ranked as the fifth busiest cargo container port in North America, based on the number of twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) handled in Calendar Year 2007. In CY 2007 approximately 2.4 million TEUs, or about 1.36 million containers, moved through the Port. Approximately 86% of the Port’s trade is with international trading partners/regions; just 14% is domestic. Asia is the most significant trading partner of the Port of Oakland; the top nations are China, Japan, and Taiwan. In CY 2007, 80% of the TEUs that moved through the Port either originated from or were destined for Asia. San Francisco Bay ranks among the three principal Pacific Coast gateways for U.S. containerized cargoes, along with San Pedro Bay in southern California and Puget Sound in the Pacific Northwest.

Some of the most common types of imports at Oakland are machinery, electrical machinery, beverages, furniture and bedding, vehicles, apparel, toys and sports products, plastic and iron/steel products. Headed outbound from the Port of Oakland are edible fruits and nuts, meat, vehicles, beverages, machinery, electrical machinery, vegetables and aluminum. The Port of Oakland is an important seaport for exports of California agricultural products and wines due to its proximity to the Central Valley and the Northern California wine country.

The Port of Oakland has 8 marine terminals and 37 container cranes — including 31 post-Panamax cranes, of which 19 are super post-Panamax. These super post-Panamax cranes, which have all been added since 2000, are able to accommodate the newer, wider container ships being used in the maritime industry. Some 30 shipping lines call at Oakland, linking the Bay Area with direct all-water service routes to most of the world’s major producing, consuming, and trading economies.

In 1999, the Port embarked on a three-pronged development program, including creation and renovation of its terminals, channel and berth deepening to -50 ft, and upgrading its intermodal rail facilities, to accommodate larger container cargo ships and to create the capacity to handle the anticipated growth in international cargo activity. To date, the Port has spent approximately $1 billion on its Vision 2000 program and the dredging. The addition of the two new Vision 2000 container terminals has added 270 acres in maritime facilities.

As part of the Vision 2000 program, the Port constructed a medium-sized intermodal facility, called Oakland International Gateway (OIG), which is operated by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF). The Union Pacific Railroad (UP) has also renovated its intermodal terminal in the Port area.

The Oakland International Gateway (OIG) is an 85-acre, near-dock facility that has the capacity to accommodate 250,000 containers per year and is capable of expanding to meet future growth. It also features 13,300 feet of loading and unloading track that can accommodate 410 40-foot containers at a time. The facility also contains an additional 10,100 feet of storage and support tracks and parking for 1,245 containers. It also creates a direct link to BNSF’s rail network — eliminating the need to truck cargo 12 miles via the highways to the railroad’s intermodal facility in Richmond, CA.

With the final conveyance of 131 additional acres of land from the former Oakland Army Base (OAB) to the Port of Oakland on August 6, 2006, a total of 714 acres from two former military bases (all previously Port of Oakland land) were returned to the Port. The previous military facility area returned to the Port was the Fleet Industrial Supply Center Oakland (FISCO-Navy). The Port is in the early planning stages to develop new increased rail intermodal capacity in the former OAB.

Oakland began the planning and design for deepening its channels and berths to -42 ft in 1972. More than 30 years later, that project was completed, and the Port immediately commenced efforts to further deepen its harbor and berths to -50 ft to accommodate the newest generation of container ships. Deepening the Oakland estuary channel to -50 ft is one of the Port’s major priorities; it is anticipated that the project will be completed in 2009. All the Port’s berths already have been deepened to -50 ft. The Port has also strengthened some of its wharves, and it plans to continue that work.

Currently the Port of Oakland is in the process of developing a new public/private partnership. According to Port of Oakland Executive Director Omar R. Benjamin, “We are working with potential concessionaires for our Outer Harbor Terminal Concession. This new concession agreement would create an extended usage term of at least 30 years, require the operator to invest in the marine facilities to better serve their customers, and provide our new business partner with a great opportunity for long-term success.”

The long-term concession agreement includes the operation and improvement of berths 20 through 24 by January 1, 2010. The area accounts for 4,500 feet of berth, with more than 150 acres of storage space. Additionally, the concession agreement would allow an opportunity for the private partner to acquire the adjacent berths 25 and 26 once the current use agreement for that area expires. Port of Oakland Maritime Director James Kwon stated, “The combined areas (Berths 20-26) would bring the total berth length to more than 5,600 feet or the equivalent of berthing five to six container ships in a row depending on the size of the vessels.” Kwon added, “We are seeking an operator that will truly be a long-standing partner for growing new cargo business at the Port of Oakland.”

On August 5, 2008, the Oakland Board of Port Commissioners approved $5 million of Port funds to supplement a California Proposition 1B grant award for the retrofitting of 1,000 drayage trucks that serve the Port of Oakland seaport. President of the Oakland Board of Port Commissioners Darlene Ayers-Johnson said, “This demonstrates our unwavering commitment to reducing diesel pollution in the port area which is truly important for our community and the environment. This retrofit project will help us meet our larger goal of cutting the health risk from diesel pollution at the Oakland seaport by 85% by the year 2020.”

Companies providing service to Oakland area
Air Cargo/Small Package Carriers
Customs Brokers/Freight Forwarders
NVOCCs/Freight Consolidators
Ocean Carriers/Agents
Trucking Services
Warehousing Services

Oakland International Airport (OAK), also known as Metropolitan Oakland International Airport, is located 4 miles (6 km) south of downtown Oakland. OAK is one of three international airports serving the San Francisco Bay Area; San Francisco International and Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International are the other two. OAK is the 12th largest cargo airport in the United States and among the top 40 cargo airports in the world. It handled approximately 1.48 billion pounds or 740,000 tons of air cargo (freight plus mail) during CY 2007. The volume of air mail carried increased 38% due to a new contract between USPS and cargo carriers. Freight volume was virtually unchanged, however, in part due to competition from surface carriers and overall economic conditions.

Oakland International Airport is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, which makes it ideal for all types of cargo services, whether domestic or international, and without the inconvenience of curfews. Oakland International has connections to the major interstate highways. It is located near the junction of I-880 and I-580. Interstate 880 connects with I-80, a main transcontinental highway. Interstate 580 connects with I-5, the main north-south highway through California. Oakland is served by several air cargo carriers, including AmerFlight, DHL, FedEx, and UPS. FedEx operates its own import clearance center at Oakland, processing up to 100,000 pounds of freight daily from the Pacific Rim.

U.S. Customs personnel are available at Oakland International on a scheduled basis to expedite the clearance process. Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) #56 is located nearby. Operated by Pacific-American Services L.L.C., now a subsidiary of Matson Global Distribution Services, the facility consists of 500,000 square feet of modern high-cube buildings, including dock-high truck capability and direct interstate highway access. The FTZ offers such services as storage of import/export goods without full customs or government taxes/formalities and duty- free inventory management and control, distribution and manufacturing. See the Foreign Trade Zone section of our Oakland/San Francisco area port profile for contact information and for information on other foreign-trade zones in the San Francisco area.

The Oakland/San Francisco Bay area has a number of government offices located within the port region, including a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) service port, which has a full range of cargo processing functions, including inspections, entry, collections, and verification. In addition, an office of the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration is located in San Francisco.

Port Contact Info
Port of Oakland
530 Water Street
Oakland, CA 94607
Tel: (510) 627-1100
Fax: (510) 839-3899
www.portofoakland.com

Back in November of 2007, Port of Oakland started enrollment in the Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program. The program’s goal is to ensure that any individual who has unescorted access to secure areas of port facilities and vessels has received a thorough background check and is not a security threat. Thousands of workers are expected to enroll over the coming months at the Port of Oakland.

The Port of Oakland has two TWIC enrollment centers. First location is at TWIC Enrollment Center c/o Oakland Maritime Support Services (OMSS), 11 Burma Rd., Oakland, CA 94607. Second location is at 1830 Embarcadero Ave., Ste. 104, Oakland, CA 94606. Both locations hours of operation are Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

More information on the TWIC program is available at the Transportation Security Administration website and more information on port security is available at the U.S. Coast Guard’s Homeport site.

Map of Oakland Area