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Monday, December 12, 2011 Breaking StoryOn the waterfront: Is Occupy the Ports protest losing steam?The Occupy Wall Street movement is in the midst of its planned protests against ports on the West Coast, Walmart, and financial firm Goldman-Sachs, however, up to 200 protestors have reportedly already been cleared from the Port of Long Beach, while longshore labor and port truckers have refrained from active solidarity. "I'm just barely getting on my feet again after two years, and now I gotta go a day without pay while somebody else has something to say that I'm not really sure is relevant to the cause," said Chuck Baca, a port trucker in an interview with CNN affiliate KGO. At the Port of Oakland, approximately half of the 200 total protestors there reportedly blocked trucks from entering this morning at an intersection. "It pisses me off," said Mark Hebert, a port trucker, to the San Francisco Chronicle. "I am losing money. I don't get paid when I am just sitting here. I've got a truck payment, and insurance payment just like everyone else," he said. Longshoremen at ports along the Coast who decided not to cross picket lines today are forgoing a day's worth of pay, while some have showed up to work in order to get paid. "They have some legitimate points and what not, but we are part of the 99 percent and they are stopping us from coming to work," said Tim, a longshoreman who didn't want to give his last name to the Chronicle. "The 1 percent's cargo doesn't come in here. The caviar comes in from Russia first class, not on a slow boat from China," he said. The, at least, 200 or so Occupiers that descended upon the Port of Long Beach this morning where at least one arrest was made, have since been cleared by law enforcement according to news reports out of the area. The protesters there were reportedly targeting Goldman Sachs, the big financial firm that has a minority interest in SSA Marine, one of the terminal operators at the port. Bob Watters, senior vice president for SSA, told CNN that Goldman Sachs owns less than 3 percent of an investment fund that holds minority interest in the Seattle-based company. At the Port of Portland, two marine terminals were shut down by the port authority in advance of the protests as longshore labor was told to stay home without pay. Occupy protests that are reportedly still scheduled to take place are at the ports of Seattle, Tacoma, Wash., Vancouver, B.C., and Houston, Texas. There have also been reports of planned Occupy protests at select Walmart distribution facilities in areas like Denver and Salt Lake City. Retail giant Walmart is the largest U.S. importer. The Cargo Business Newswire will update on today's events as needed.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011 Top StoryOccupy the ports movement causes limited disruptionThe Occupy Wall Street movement's plan to blockade or shut down ports on the West Coast and another on the U.S. Gulf Coast on Monday had limited reported impact on cargo operations, although, some terminals ceased activity, and arrests were made by law enforcement. The day of protests against what the Occupy movement had cited as Wall Street-related entities being behind operations on the working waterfront began in the early morning hours when up to 200 Occupiers reportedly descended upon the Port of Long Beach with at least one arrest made, as the protesters were subsequently cleared out of the area by local police. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union and port truckers did not officially join the day's protests, although ILWU President Robert McEllrath said in a statement: "Most of us are tired of seeing a handful of the richest corporations and executives behave as though they're entitled to live like kings at everyone's expense." Protesters in Long Beach said they were targeting Goldman Sachs, the big financial firm that has a minority interest in SSA Marine, one of the terminal operators at the port. Bob Watters, senior vice president for SSA, told CNN that Goldman Sachs owns less than 3 percent of an investment fund that holds minority interest in the Seattle-based company. Just a bit north of Los Angeles, a lawyer was reportedly arrested at the Port of Hueneme for lying down in the road blocking port trucks there. Moving up the coast to the Port of Oakland where the Occupy the Ports movement germinated in early November, approximately half of the 200 total early-morning protestors there reportedly blocked trucks from entering at an intersection. Later in the day, the Occupy movement's numbers swelled to a reported 3,000 and marine terminal operators did not order ILWU labor for the night shift as the port's cargo operations were ceased for the second time in under two months due to the same circumstances. "They're saying, 'Oh, we want to get the attention of the ruling class.' Well, I think the ruling class is probably laughing," said Oakland Mayor Jean Quan at a news conference Monday evening. "Still, a small group of people are going to hold hostage this port, this city, this economy," Quan said. Port trucker Lee Ronaldson, who was stalled with a refrigerated cargoload, told the San Francisco Chronicle: "These are children out here, what do they know?" I don't even know what their movement is. All I know is, I'm losing a day's wage." There were two reported arrests of protesters made at the Port of Oakland in what was reportedly a mostly peaceful demonstration. In the Pacific Northwest, Occupy protesters were fairly busy, including the Port of Portland, which preemptively closed two of its four marine terminals causing up to a reported 375 ILWU workers going without pay for the day. Protesters in Portland also reportedly returned later in the day causing the closure of another terminal operation that was in the midst of unloading a vessel. The Port of Longview, Wash. closed its operations in the face of a reported 100 protesters. Longview's port has been cited by the Occupy movement as one of its inspirations due to a long-running labor dispute there between a multi-national private grain terminal operator and the ILWU. At the Port of Seattle, there were reports of up to several hundred Occupy protesters attempting to block truck traffic at SSA Marine's cargo operation with 11 arrests made and the use of pepper spray reportedly deployed by Seattle police as that protest wound down peacefully. There were other, mostly peaceful, protests according to reports out of port cities San Diego, Calif., Tacoma, Bellingham, Wash, Vancouver, B.C., Houston, Texas, and at some Wal-Mart distribution centers in areas like Salt Lake City and Denver. There were 11 reported arrests of protesters made at the Port of Houston yesterday. The ports of Seattle and Oakland had announced as of this morning that their freight operations were back to normal. U.S. retail inched upward in NovemberThe U.S. Census Bureau announced this week that its advance estimates for U.S. retail and food services sales in November hit close to $400 billion, an increase of 0.2 percent over October and 6.7 percent over the same month last year as total sales for the September through November shopping season up 7.4 percent over the same period last year. Retail trade sales were up 0.3 percent from October 2011, and 6.8 percent above last November, with nonstore retail sales up 13.9 percent over the same period last year, the Census Bureau reported. CMA CGM and OOCL form partnership for New Zealand-Far East tradeFollowing closely on the heels of the announcement of a partnership in major global shipping trades between France's CMA CGM and Switzerland's Mediterranean Shipping Company, is today's statement that the French shipping line is partnering with Hong Kong's OOCL on its ANZEX service in the New Zealand to Far East Trade that is effective end of December. On the Southbound loop, the new partnership said it would make alternative calls in Nouméa (New Caledonia) and Suva (Fiji). Evergreen introduces weekly intra-Asia serviceCiting trade growth and increased capacity demand in the intra-Asia shipping trade, Taiwan's Evergreen Line announced a new weekly Vietnam-Malaysia-Indonesia (VMI) service that commenced in early December. The new loop is an extension of Evergreen's recently launched PTP-Indonesia (PIS) feeder service to Port Kelang and Ho Chi Minh City that encompasses its Vietnam-Straits Shuttle (VSS) feeder service, the shipping line said in a statement. Longshoreman killed by RTG at Port of Houston facilityA longshoreman working at the Port of Houston's Barbours Cut Container Terminal was killed last week when he was struck by a 250,000-ton rubber tired gantry crane. "He was cut in half," said Joe Trevino, vice president of the local International Longshoremen Association in an interview with the Bay Area Citizen. The longshoreman had reportedly worked at the Port of Houston for 45 years. For the story source: abclocal.go.com
Wednesday, December 14, 2011 Top StoryOccupy shutdown costs Port of Oakland (Includes link to video)
Monday's Occupy Wall Street protest at the Port of Oakland virtually shut it down, causing the loss of millions of dollars of revenue, according to port officials and truckers. A port official said Monday's loss was in the range of $4 to $8 million, more when all associated wages, taxes and import-export revenue are taken into account.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has said the deepening of the Port of Charleston is unlikely to happen until 2024. The project must receive federal approval before proceeding, which first requires the completion of a 5- to 8-year feasibility study that is just now beginning. Retail association nudges U.S. toward Trans Pacific Partnership
The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) submitted testimony to the Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday, urging the U.S. to negotiate an ambitious Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal.
Caterpillar Inc is still in talks to sell its logistics business, but announced Tuesday that economic uncertainty has caused a delay in sealing the deal. Paul Allen courts space travel
Paul Allen launched a space travel business on Tuesday that will involve the construction of "the largest aircraft ever constructed." The Microsoft co-founder is forwarding a vision in which private industry steps in where the federal government left off.
Thursday, December 15, 2011 Top StoryUnited Maritime Group explores sale
United Maritime Group, the dry bulk transportation and terminal service company, may be looking for buyers. Owners Greenstreet Equity Partners and Jeffries private equity firm is exploring a private sale, according to anonymous industry insiders. World Fuel sees 31 percent profit as ship owners struggle
World Fuel Services Corp, which provides 12 percent of the fuel used by struggling merchant vessels, will report a 31 percent gain in net income for 2011. Brokers are recommending a buy on the publicly traded Miami-based company, in anticipation of the stock price rising to $47.40 over the next year, a 12 percent increase. Biggest ships ever to join Asia-Europe route
After a year of overcapacity that caused a 50 percent decline in cargo rates on the Asia-Pacific route, 42 of the biggest ships ever built will enter the market in 2012. Rouen port to dredge the Seine River
The largest grain-export hub in Europe, France's port of Rouen, will deepen the Seine River shipping channel over the next four years to allow handymax and supramax sized vessels to call at the port. Starbucks "cargotecture"
The newest Seattle Starbucks is constructed of four used cargo containers stacked two high.
Friday, December 16, 2011 Top StoryHouse looks to 2012 for transportation billBy Elaine Nessle, CBN's Capitol Watch contributor and senior associate, Blakey & Agnew, LLC
Despite best intentions and earlier reports, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will not be considering a long-term transportation bill in 2011. During a speech on November 30, Chairman of the Committee John Mica (R-FL) said that considering a bill in January would allow plenty of time before the March 31 surface transportation authorization extension expiration. "You've got to have a deadline," Mica said. "It's like high school students, they put off the paper until the last minute and then they do an all-nighter." Senators call Pentagon to task for $720 mil in container late fees
A trio of U.S. senators wanted an update from the Pentagon on whether costs have been curbed since a USA Today story in August that reported the military has spent $720 million in container late fees over the past ten years. Hyundai to expand terminal at Port of L.A.
South Korea's Hyundai Merchant Marine signed a memorandum of understanding with the City of Los Angeles to expand its terminal operations footprint to a new 200-acre facility - dubbed the Pier 500 project. Port of Everett handles components for Boeing's 1,000th 777
The Port of Everett unloaded fuselage skin panels manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries from a cargo vessel and subsequently loaded the oversized containers onto rail cars bound for Boeing's nearby factory where the 1,000th 777 will be constructed.
Following closely on the heels of Monday's West Coast-wide Occupy the Port protest that produced a partial shut-down of the Port of Oakland that reportedly cost at least $4 million in lost economic activity, the city council there is trying to push through a resolution in order "to use whatever tools we have" to try and prevent another potential occurrence. |