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News Archive

All current news items are listed. Narrow your search for news items by selecting a specific category or state. You also can sort news items by date by selecting the arrow next to Date.

The following news items were compiled by the FHWA Office of Freight Management and Operations. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list of freight news.

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Category: Water

Marine Highways Vessel Designs Point Toward the Future - 1/05/2012
The United State Maritime Administration has released 11 new designs for vessels intended to navigate America's costal Marine Highways. These new designs focus on the...

Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority Releases Port of Toledo Economic Impact Study - 1/05/2012
The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority and the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation have released a study highlighting the economic impacts of the Port of Toledo....

Federal Maritime Commission Filings Argue Harbor Tax Doesn't Shift Cargo to Canada - 1/24/2012
Since February 2011, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has been determining if US-bound containers are being shipped through Canadian ports to avoid paying a Harbor...

The Race to Dig Deeper Ports For Bigger Cargo Ships - 1/24/2012
The completion of the Panama Canal expansion in 2014 will provide post-Panamax vessels, ships that carry two or three times the load of standard freighters,...

Eastern Ports Scramble to Get Ready for New Panama Canal Era - 3/07/2012
The expansion of the Panama Canal is set to complete within the next three years allowing vessels large enough to carry twice the amount of...

St. Lawrence Seaway Reopens for 2012 Navigation Season - 3/30/2012
The St. Lawrence Seaway has reopened for the 2012 navigation season following the winter maintenance season as part of the DOT's 10-year Asset Renewal Program,...

Louisiana Ports Play an Important Role in the State's Economic Picture - 6/21/2012
A recent economic impact study has revealed that more than 396,000 Louisiana jobs are tied directly to Louisiana's maritime industry resulting in $19.5 billion in...

Giant Cranes Arrive in Port, Marking New Era for Cargo Handling - 7/10/2012
The Port of Baltimore has recently received new cranes which will be used to unload post-Panamax vessels following the 2014 Panama Canal Expansion. Currently the...

Preparing for Post-Panamax Vessels Report - 7/23/2012
The United States Army Corps of Engineers has submitted a report to Congress examining options for future modification to U.S. ports and waterways. This report...

Economic Impact of Indiana's Ports Exceeds $6 Billion per Year - 8/02/2012
A recent study reported that Indiana's three ports contributed $6.38 billion to the state economy and supported 51,577 jobs, an increase of 18 percent since...

Port of Gulfport Upgrade to Give Mississippi Greater International Reach - 8/15/2012
The ongoing expansion of the Panama Canal will provide ports on the eastern seaboard greater access to trading partners across the Pacific Ocean. In particular,...

Multimodal Freight Transportation Within the Great Lakes-Saint Lawrence Basin - 8/28/2012
The Transportation Research Board's (TRB) National Cooperative Freight Research Program (NCFRP) published a report describing the current multimodal freight transportation system in the Great Lakes...

Ports Keep Wisconsin's Economy Afloat and Moving Forward - 9/12/2012
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has declared the week of August 20-26 as Wisconsin Ports Week. As such, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) and the...

Study of U.S. Inland Containerized Cargo Moving Through Canadian and Mexican Seaports - 9/12/2012
The United States Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has published a report investigating whether the United States Harbor and Maintenance Tax, as well as other factors,...

Mediterranean Shipping Company Sets Record for Biggest Ship in the United States - 10/10/2012
The Mediterranean Shipping Company has deployed the largest vessel on a U.S. route to accommodate the growing demand for goods from Asia. This vessel has...

Large Cargo Ships Bring Big Changes to Port Everglades - 11/05/2012
The largest cargo ship to ever call port at the Port of Everglades, the MSC Texas, has recently docked at the port. Port officials anticipate...

Port of Virginia Picking Up Slack for Storm-Damaged Port of New York/New Jersey - 11/07/2012
Many vessels originally headed to the New York region were rerouted through the Port of Virginia due to the disruption caused by Hurricane Sandy. While...

Port of Benton Officials Prepare for Rail Growth - 12/07/2012
Officials at the Port of Benton in Washington state are looking to the future to best plan for an increase of railcar volume in and...

Los Angeles and Long Beach Ports to Reopen After 8-Day Strike - 1/03/2013
After an eight day strike, clerical workers have agreed to a new contract with the terminal operators at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long...

Barge Traffic Piles up as Water Levels Fall on Mississippi - 1/09/2013
Low water levels on the Mississippi River are causing supply chain issues as barge companies are reducing both the number of barges on the river...

Maritime Administration Study Finds Great Lake Shipping Showing Signs of Recovery - 2/25/2013
The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) has released findings from a recent study indicating that maritime shipping in the Great Lakes region is showing signs of...

Port Upgrades Urged to Keep Pace with Panama Canal Expansion - 3/06/2013
Port officials at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are expediting plans to upgrade their facilities to prevent container traffic from diverting to...

Coast Wide Contract Reached Between Dockworkers, Port Operators - 3/19/2013
The union representing East and Gulf Coast longshoreman has completed negotiations for a six-year agreement with port operators and shipping companies. These negotiations began more...

Nation's Shipyards Support $36 Billion in Gross Domestic Product - 7/01/2013
A recent report commissioned by the United States Maritime Administration finds that the nation's shipyards support $36 billion in Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Further, this...

Port of Virginia Wraps-Up Its Best Fiscal-Year Performance - 7/15/2013
The Port of Virginia has completed its best fiscal-year performance in its history with a growth of 10 percent in container volume from the previous...

Georgia Ports Authority Prepared for Hurricanes and Other Disasters - 8/08/2013
The Georgia Ports Authority has unveiled their new Mobile Command Center (MCC) that can be deployed in event of a natural or man-made disaster. The...

New Cargoes Boost St. Lawrence Seaway Commerce - 8/30/2013
New types of cargo have recently been traveling through the St. Lawrence Seaway. In July, oversized heavy-lift construction components were shipped on the seaway to...

New Pilot Program Tests Importing South American Fruit through South Florida Seaports - 8/30/2013
Officials at Port Everglades and Port Miami are working to finalize a pilot program that will allow the important of fruits from South America. Existing...

From Concept to Completion: The M-580 Green Trade Corridor - 11/12/2013
The United States Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD) recently dedicated the California Green Trade Corridor (M-580). This marine highway will eliminate approximately 200 trucks...

Panama Canal Expansion - The Future of Maritime Commerce - 12/09/2013
The United State Maritime Administration (MARAD) has released the first of a two-part study to understand effects that the Panama Canal expansion will have on...

White House Releases National Maritime Domain Awareness Plan - 1/08/2014
The White House has released the National Maritime Domain Awareness Plan. This plan promotes global maritime security and prosperity through improved governance, policies, and actions...

Maritime Administration Kicks-Off First National Maritime Strategy Symposium - 1/21/2014
The United States Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD) completed their first-ever National Maritime Strategy Symposium. This symposium invited maritime industry stakeholders to collaborate with...

Competing Ports Could Collaborate in Future as Ships Get Bigger - 2/03/2014
To improve economic competiveness, competing United States ports have initiated discussions for regional collaborations. The ports of Seattle and Tacoma recently reached an agreement to...

Hearing on the Future of Federal Programs for Safe, Efficient, and Secure Waterway Navigation - 2/20/2014
On February 4, 2014 the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation conducted a hearing to discuss methods for assisting vessel navigation and the movement...

United States Department of Transportation Provides $7 Million for Maritime Education - 2/20/2014
United States Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD) has provided $1 million in funding to six state maritime academies and the United States Merchant Marine...

Port of Cleveland Preparing to Begin Dredging - 3/20/2014
The Port of Cleveland Board of Directors have approved a resolution directing management to work with the United States Army Corps of Engineers to complete...

New Jersey Department of Transportation Announces Multi-year State Channel Dredging Program - 4/01/2014
In response to the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, the New Jersey Department of Transportation has announced a multi-year, multi-million dollar State Channel Dredging Program. The...

Thick Mississippi River Ice Means Slow Start to Shipping Season - 4/01/2014
The below-average temperatures and inclement weather this winter are posed to cause shipping delays on the Mississippi River. While the spring shipping season generally begins...

U.S. Transportation Secretary Foxx Names New Members to Maritime Industry Advisory Panel - 4/15/2014
United States Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx has appointed 10 new members to the Marine Transportation System National Advisory Council (MTSNAC). The MTSNAC consists of 29...

Maritime Administration Celebrates Groundbreaking for Final Stage of $50 Million Port of Guam Expansion Project - 4/29/2014
Officials have broken ground on the Port of Guam modernization project. This project represents a $50 million port improvement project administered by the United States...

United States Army Corps of Engineers Offers Its Final Approval for Jacksonville Harbor Deepening - 4/29/2014
The United States Army Corps of Engineers has issued a final Chief's Report approving the Jacksonville Harbor Deepening Project. This project would deepen the existing...

Key Issues Related to Commercial Activity in the United States Arctic over the Next Decade - 5/21/2014
The United States Government Accountability Office has released a report documenting key issues related to commercial activity in the United States Arctic over the next...

Port of Albany Might Help Congestion at Ports Downstate - 5/21/2014
Experts believe that the completion on the Panama Canal expansion in 2016 will bring increased ship traffic to East Coast ports. Officials at the Port...

As Panama Canal Expands, West Coast Ports Scramble to Keep Big Cargo Vessels - 7/15/2014
The Panama Canal expansion will affect goods movement in and around the United States in many ways. This article discusses potential changes to global shipping...

Economic Study Shows Port of Boston Generates Jobs - 8/04/2014
The Massachusetts Port Authority has published findings from their studying investigating the economic impacts of the Port of Boston to the surrounding region. This report...

As Exports Rise, Maritime Moves America - 8/29/2014
The United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) offers a number of programs to assist seaports in modernizing, expanding, and improving their facilities. Two examples include StrongPorts...

U.S. Port Congestion: Examining Causes, Impact on Stakeholders, and Exploring Possible Solutions - 8/29/2014
The United States Federal Maritime Commission will hold a forum discussing seaport congestion. This forum will invite industry stakeholders, regulators, and the general public for...

Vice President Joe Biden Touts Ports During Norfolk Tour - 9/29/2014
During a recent visit the Port of Virginia, Vice President Joe Biden discussed the need for improvements to maritime infrastructure to maintain the economic competitiveness...

Officials Sign Partnership Agreement for Port of Savannah Harbor Deepening - 10/15/2014
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Georgia Department of Transportation, and the Georgia Ports Authority have signed a project partnership agreement to begin the...

Great Lakes Ports Rebound to Pre-recession Levels - 10/27/2014
The American Great Lakes Ports Association has announced that cargo volumes at ports along the Great Lakes are returning to pre-recession levels. These increases are...

Shipping Infrastructure Problems Roiling the River - 11/13/2014
The combination of a long winter and heavy rains has caused several issues slowing barge traffic along the Mississippi River. The economic impact from this...

Port Planning and Investment Toolkit - 11/24/2014
The United State Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD) in partnership with the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) is working to develop an easy-to-read...

White House Says Ports, Workers Must Handle Labor Dispute - 11/24/2014
The White House will not be intervening with the on-going labor dispute affecting 20,000 members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. This dispute is...

Integrating Marine Transportation System Commerce Data with Multimodal Freight Transportation Performance Measures - 12/05/2014
The Transportation Research Board's National Freight Cooperative Research Program (NCFRP) has released report 32 entitled Integrating MTS Commerce Data with Multimodal Freight Transportation Performance Measures...

Minnesota Department of Transportation Announces First Statewide Plan for Ports, Waterways - 12/05/2014
The Minnesota Department of Transportation's Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations has published their first statewide plan for ports and waterways. This plan documents...

Audit Template for Inland Port Sustainability - 12/31/2014
Researchers with the Kentucky Transportation Center have developed an audit template to assess port sustainability. The audit template is intended for inland port operators to...

Port of Virginia Sets New Annual Record for Container Volume - 1/12/2015
The Port of Virginia handled more than 2.3 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2014, a 7.6 percent increase over 2013 and a new port...

Congestion at United States Ports is the Federal Maritime Commission Priority for 2015 - 1/26/2015
In 2014, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) completed four regional listening sessions to discuss issues at ports. One of the top issues raised during these...

Port of New Orleans Sees Record Container Volume in 2014 - 2/12/2015
The addition of new shipping services and an uptick in the national economy contributed to record container volumes at the Port of New Orleans in...

West Coast Ports Issues May Affect Freight Flows Across the Nation - 2/12/2015
A coalition of transportation and industrial trade associations has found that long standing container handling problems at 29 U.S. West Coast seaports is causing manufacturers...

Secretary Foxx Designates Three Marine Highway Projects - 5/08/2015
U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx has designated three new Marine Highway Projects. A marine highway project is a planned service, or expansion of an existing...

With DOT support, American shipyard launches world's first LNG-powered container ship - 5/08/2015
The world's first Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) powered container ship was commissioned this week by TOTE Maritime, and financed in part by a $324.6 million...

Port of Portland Searches for Solutions with Container Shippers Gone - 7/13/2015
International trade routes have changed for Oregon importers and exporters. With the departure of container shippers Hanjin of Korea and Hapag-Lloyd of Germany earlier this...

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