Business is up at North Carolina’s State Ports with posted increased cargo movement for the 2011 calendar year compared to 2010. Container movements increased more than 11 percent and general breakbulk cargo increased 8 percent for the year positioning the North Carolina State Ports Authority for a successful fiscal year 2012.
In Wilmington, NCSPA moved 287,467 20-foot equivalent unit containers in 2011, an 11.2 percent increase over calendar year 2010. And more than 1.7 million tons of bulk and breakbulk cargo were moved through the Port of Wilmington in 2011, a 16 percent increase over the year prior. In Morehead City, 1,912,036 tons of bulk and breakbulk cargo was moved – a 2 percent increase over calendar year 2010.
The Port of Wilmington showed significant gains in movement of agricultural products. Activity was revived in fiscal year 2010, and since then, 414,000 tons of animal feed and grain have been imported and trucked to livestock producers throughout southeastern North Carolina.
The Authority attributes Morehead City’s success to new and renewed business lines, including the return of woodchip operations previously dormant for nearly a decade. The operation currently exports soft woodchips to Turkey for the manufacture of medium density fiberboard. Since July, more than 133,000 tons have been exported from the Port of Morehead City, returning jobs to the North Carolina logging industry.
“Especially in these tough economic times, the Ports are committed to serving the heritage industries of North Carolina,” said Jeff Strader, interim CEO, N.C. State Ports Authority. “As our container, bulk and breakbulk shipments grow, we can be confident that businesses in our state will benefit. We are optimistic that additional partnerships with more businesses throughout the state continue to develop, and inevitably yield positive results for our state as a whole.”
The Authority also has affirmed its commitment to economic development through partnerships beyond North Carolina. In January 2012, the Authority renewed its strategic alliance with the Panama Canal Authority by signing a Memorandum of Understanding. This document confirms that both entities will dedicate themselves to generating new business, growing existing business and promoting expanded commerce via ocean shipping.
The Authority expects continued success in container and breakbulk volumes this year.
N.C. ports saw growth in 2011 (The Star-News –Wilmington, Feb. 9)