PRESIDENT ’ S VIEW
New Jersey ’ s Expanded Role in the Logistics of the Global Supply Chain Will Fuel Economic Growth
Carrying goods such as fall / winter clothing , pharmaceuticals and furniture bound for retailers in the bistate region , the massive container ship CMA CGM Brazil will support businesses in New Jersey .
By Anthony Russo President , CIANJ
The ultra-large container ship CMA
CGM Brazil , with a maximum capacity of 15,072 , 20-foot equivalent units ( TEUs ), is wider than a football field and the length of more than four New York City blocks . In September , it became the largest vessel to call on the Port of New York and New Jersey ( PANYNJ ) and any U . S . East Coast port .
Carrying goods such as fall / winter clothing , pharmaceuticals and furniture bound for retailers in the bistate region and beyond , the massive container ship is part of the logistics and supply chain that is expanding opportunities in the Garden State and the surrounding region .
The CMA CGM Brazil — 167 feet wide and 1,200 feet long — was built in 2020 and arrived in North America from Southeast Asia via the Suez Canal . The ship ’ s recent arrival at the Elizabeth-Port Authority Marine Terminal showcases the port ’ s ability to handle the world ’ s largest container ships , a result of recent Port Authority investments such as the Bayonne Bridge Navigational Clearance Program and the Harbor Deepening Program .
The Bayonne Bridge project increased its vertical clearance to 215 feet , while the dredging project deepened the shipping channels to 50 feet . The project raised the clearance under the crossing from 151 feet to 215 feet , allowing ships as large as 18,000 TEUs to travel under it to port facilities in Newark , Elizabeth and Staten Island . Following the raising of the bridge , one of the port ’ s major shipping lines — CMA CGM — began a new service to the port using primarily 14,000 TEU vessels .
Combined , the improvements along with significant additional investments by all of the port ’ s terminal operators allow the PANYNJ to welcome the next generation of ultra-large container vessels , which use newer and more
environmentally friendly technology , have more sustainable designs and help reduce emissions by carrying more containers with fewer vessels .
The PANYNJ handled 7,471,131 20-foot equivalent units ( TEUs ) of cargo in 2019 , breaking the previous annual record of 7,179,788 TEUs set in 2018 . In 2019 , the port also handled 5,231,418 loaded TEUs , surpassing the loaded imports handled by the Port of Long Beach in California , elevating the PANYNJ to No . 2 in the nation for the first time in two decades .
The port also set a record for cargo handled by rail , moving 664,987 containers , up 3 percent over the previous record set in 2018 . Cargo growth was bolstered by a 2.6 percent increase in imported goods compared with 2018 levels .
According to a recent study by the New York Shipping Association , the port supports 400,000 jobs , a 35 percent increase over the 296,000 jobs reported four years ago . The port also is responsible for $ 25.7 billion in personal income and $ 64.8 billion in business income .
The South Jersey Port Corporation ( SJPC ) is key to South Jersey ’ s economy and growth at the Paulsboro Marine Terminal ( PMT ). PMT is the first new marine port on the Delaware River in the last 50 years . Since its opening in 2017 , more than four million tons of imported steel slabs have moved through PMT , creating jobs and opportunities for the region . The second phase of construction of PMT is scheduled for completion in 2021 .
SJPC is also prioritizing infrastructure needs across all of their terminals , including Balzano and Broadway Marine Terminals in Camden and Salem Marine Terminal in Salem . The plans include rehabilitation of existing buildings and replacement of older buildings — incorporating modern facilities that can handle more cargo . The port is also looking at the use of solar energy to help attract new clients looking to boost sustainable practices in their operations .
In addition , SJPC recently announced a $ 6 million grant to implement improvements to the rail system at the Joseph A . Balzano Marine Terminal to provide seamless dock to rail capacity . These improvements will expand the capability to easily move products like steel , cocoa beans , wood and project cargo .
The CMA CGM Brazil — 167 feet wide and 1,200 feet long — was built in 2020 and its recent arrival at the Eliz abeth-Port Authority Marine Terminal show cases the port ’ s ability to handle the world ’ s largest container ships .
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