In 2020, the world saw a drastic change in the economic status of multiple sectors of business due in large part to the spread of Covid-19. Unemployment rates skyrocketed leading to The Federal Reserve having to drop interest rates to near zero in order to encourage consumer spending. Now, how does this all relate to shipping ports?
Almost all business transactions are now done on a global scale leading to the influx of packages that come in and out of the United States. Shipping ports are responsible for the transfer, management, and distribution of freight that is offloaded or loaded onboard ships. What people purchase–and how often–will affect the volume rates at shipping ports. In order to ensure that merchandise is safely and responsibly transported, you will need to contact an experienced cargo transport company.
In this article, we will discuss the different types of shipping ports, which ports are the busiest and largest, and how the volume of shipping rates are expected to rise in 2023.
Expected Rise of Volume at Shipping Ports in 2023
The Corona Virus affected transportation the hardest in 2020. People have been spending their income on merchandise rather than travel. This boom in spending has meant that the expected rise of volume at shipping ports will increase in 2023.
According to Alan Murphy, CEO of Sea-Intelligence Maritime Analysis, the projected growth of shipping rates in merchandise coming from Asia would be 30% higher than those of 2020. The port of Los Angeles saw an unexpected surge of imports around December of 2020 that made it necessary for ports to find other spots to hold goods.
Different ports will often acquire specific merchandise from different global areas. Let’s take a look at these ports and their purpose.
What Are The Different Types of Shipping Ports in The US
If you’re unfamiliar with types of ports and their purpose, we’ll break it down for you. A lot of time and proper management goes into, not only regional shipping, but global as well. Ports are scattered across The US in order to receive any type of goods. The most popular freight that come into shipping ports are:
- Produce
- Furniture
- Car Parts
- Electronics
- Mineral Fuel
- Clothes
- Toys
- Raw Building Materials Like Iron & Steel
As we’ve mentioned, not all ports are the same. Some ports are seaports and some remain inland and are attached to lakes and rivers. The three different kinds of ports we’ll discuss in this article are inland, warm water, and sea ports.
Inland Ports
An inland port, also called a dry port, is a port that’s connected to an inland waterway like a river or lake. They are an essential part receiving and transferring cargo regionally. Popular inland ports in the US include:
- Chicago
- Toronto
- Duluth-Superior
These inland ports do virtually the same tasks as seaports except that their merchandise travels inland.
Warm Water Ports
Warm water ports aren’t as well-known as their sea and inland counterparts, but geopolitically and economically, they are more favorable because of their ability to remain unfrozen throughout the year. Most of these ports are global and outside of The US–such as Russia, Ukraine, and Japan.
Sea Ports
Seaports are one of the most well-known shipping ports because of their wide availability and geographic reach. These ports are attached to, you guessed it, the sea and are able to ship and receive global goods. Similar ports that can fall under the category of a seaport are:
- Cargo port
- Cruise home port
- Smart port
- Port of call
With seaports all over The US, it can be difficult to know where merchandise goes when it comes in. Let’s look at the largest and busiest seaports in the US.
What Are The Largest and Busiest Seaports in the US?
Seaports are a part of a global shipping empire that’s existed for centuries. Shipping and trading of goods from country to country has meant growth in so many sectors like produce introduction, cattle for farming, and textile manufacturing. Here are the largest and busiest seaports in the US.
Port of Los Angeles
Due to the port of Los Angeles’ location in the West, it has become the leader in international trade between the US and Asian countries like China, South Korea and Japan. In terms of container traffic, this port is the largest in the country with a TEU number of 9.7 million in 2018.
Port of Long Beach
After the port of Los Angeles, the port of Long Beach is the second largest and busiest port in the US with an average TEU of 8.09 million. 87% of diesel emissions have been cut from this port making it one of the most environmentally-friendly ports.
Port of New York and New Jersey
The port of New York and New Jersey follow in 3rd place with a total TEU of 7.2 million. Beverages, vehicles, and plastic are typically transported here. Due to its East Coast location, it is one of the busiest and most concentrated ports in the US.
Port of Houston
Founded in 1909, the port of Houston has an approximate 2.5 million TEU of cargo transported to this location. It’s Southern location means its largest recipient of goods come from South America including Mexico and Venezuela.
Port of Baltimore
The port of Baltimore, located in Maryland, operates with an approximate 1 million TEU of cargo being transported to this location. The Mercedes-Benz vehicle is transported through the port of Baltimore.
How Heavy Weight Transport Can Help
To ensure the protection and safety of transports traveling all over the globe, you will need to find the correct people to offer that in a sustainable way. At Heavy Weight Transport, we take your trust very seriously and vow to continually provide exceptional and ethical service in drayage, warehousing and brokerage.
The best part about us is our vast coverage. We have operations in Long Beach, Savannah, Charleston, and Houston and many more! Contact us today to get started!
