Posts Tagged “container volumes”
Imports of fresh produce remain strong as container volumes at PhilaPort’s Packer Avenue Marine Terminals are up 5 percent, maintaining an eight-month surge.
The increase at the Port of Philadelphia leaves it as the only East Coast port to grow cargo volumes during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a news release.
“We are extremely proud of our results,” Jeff Theobald, executive director and CEO of PhilaPort, said in the release. “This proves that the infrastructure work we have done, in conjunction with the hard work of our longshoremen, terminal operator, Greenwich Terminals, and commercial support from Holt Logistics, is already paying off.”
The Packer Avenue Maine Terminal handles a variety of cargoes, but is known for handling and distributing refrigerated cargoes.
Leo Holt, president of Holt Logistics, said the company is on track to reach double-digit growth in refrigerated cargo volume this year.
“Consumer demand for fresh fruits and vegetables remains at an all-time high,” Holt said. “We remain ready to meet this demand and provide a safe and efficient supply chain for our clients.”
A project to deepen the Delaware River main channel is complete.
“And now that we have this and other major infrastructure improvements in place, developers are taking notice.” Sean Mahoney, director of marketing at the port, said. “They are continuing their investments in new distribution warehousing in South Jersey and Lehigh Valley.”
More container volume is being handled at the Port of Los Angeles, and a California company is expanding its presence in South Texas.
Container volumes increased over 16 percent from over the previous year at the Port of Los Angeles, which had its busiest July ever. This took place as U.S. ports continue to post record traffic numbers, including the major West Coast entry point for many Central and South American fruits and vegetables.
L.A. had almost 797,000 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) came through the port, the most in any July since it opened 110 years ago, according to a news release.
The port also set a 12-month shipping record for a Western Hemisphere port during the most recent fiscal years.
Port officials expect the calendar year to break records as well. Container volumes are 9.5 percent over 2016 volume to date, a year that also saw records fall.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union recently extended their contracts with the terminal operators at the port until 2022.
NEW TEXAS DISTRIBUTION CENTER
Index Fresh of Bloomington, CA broke ground earlier this year on a new distribution center in South Texas that should be ready to receive fruit sometime in November. The company is anticipating continued growth with the U.S. consumption of avocados.
Index Fresh has used a commercial warehouse facility in the Rio Grande Valley for several years at Crosspoint Cold Storage, but decided it was time to expand and build its own facility.
Located in Pharr, The Index Fresh distribution center is being built a stone’s throw from the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge, which is a major entry point for Mexican avocados and other fruits and vegetables originating south of the border. The facility will be used to pre-cool and condition the fruit.
It will have the capacity to handle 2,600 pallets of avocados, with 10 separate ripening rooms. Mexico exports more avocados to the U.S. than any country, with South Texas being the most popular port of entry.