The Panama Canal & the East Coast Ports

Now that we've been invaded by a pro-port movement--headed by someone from Michigan--it's important to keep everybody updated on what's going on as the Panama Canal widening project gets underway.

Here's an item from the Low Country where a fierce battle is being waged over what will be done on the Savannah River. The Port of Savannah wants the river to be deepened so it can handle the larger class of container ships. But Georgia and South Carolina made an agreement in 2007 to build a new port in Jasper County, SC that's 10 miles closer to the Atlantic Ocean on the same river. Can the federal government afford both projects? How about the other 10 east coast ports (none in NC) requesting funds for dredging and expansion?


Here's a clip from an article at PortBarrel.org:

Roberto Aleman, the Executive Director of the Panama Canal says “the US will have to decide which port expansions get funded… There are going to be some more efficient ports than others and there are going to be investments that are going to have to be repaid. Eventually, you have to make decisions as to which ports are going to get the money.” 

In other words, we don’t need all 10, we can’t afford all 10 — and we better make sure the one that is funded is the right one.  How can we know that without a birds-eye view?  We need a federal evaluation of how the costs and benefits stack up.  Not a fire sale to the first port with a proposal. 

Kurt Nagle, head of the American Association of Port Authorities, also believes that federal taxpayers cannot afford all of the projects.  Nagle acknowledges that “certainly we as an association and in the industry as a whole recognize and believe that not every port in the country needs to be at a depth to be able to accommodate the largest vessels in international trade.”

Read the rest of the article at http://portbarrel.org/
The article used as a reference for this article is may be read at http://www.gpb.org/news/2011/08/29/nationwide-ports-wait-for-funding
Jacksonville, FL has a similar concern with its port. Here's an excellent editorial from that part of the world: http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/400601/ron-littlepage/2011-08-18/lets-be-cautious-about-deepening-port-0

Check out all 3 as you can't have too much information about this critical issue.