Ports America Names New CPO

The nation's largest independent terminal operator, Ports America, announced Thursday that it has named Claus Michael Svendsen to the position of Chief Process Officer, effective May 1.

In his new role, Svendsen will report directly to Ports America President and CEO Michael Hassing and "be responsible for activities and actions currently under the Program Office as well as defining, structuring, and further optimizing Ports America’s processes," according to a statement.

A 10-year veteran of the maritime industry, Svendsen most recently served as CPO, Group Senior VP for European ferry operator Scandlines. He has also held various functional, operational, organizational restructuring and commercial leadership roles throughout Europe and Asia within Scandlines and A.P.Møller-Maersk.

Svendsen's appointment comes just over one month after Hassing, also a former Scandlines executive, was named to the Ports America CEO position.

The Iselin, N.J.-based Ports America's current portfolio includes 80 terminals at 42 ports across the nation.

Yoshida Named To Top MOL (America) Positions

Tokyo-based ocean carrier Mitsui O.S.K. Lines announced Thursday that Tsuyoshi Yoshida will become Chairman, President, and CEO, of MOL (America) Inc. effective June 22, 2010.

Yoshida, a 30-year veteran of MOL, has served assignments in Asia, Europe and North America. Since 2006 he has served as COO and Executive VP of MOL (America). He is a graduate of Yokohama National University with a bachelor's degree in Mathematics for Management.

Maersk Chassis Lease Firm to Expands Into Pac NW and Gulf

A.P. Moller-Maersk subsidiary Direct ChassisLink has announced plans to expand its chassis lease services into the Pacific Northwest and the Gulf of Mexico starting June 1.

The North Carolina-based Direct ChassisLink, which already offers leased chassis to drayage firms at container yards, marine terminals and railroads in Chicago, the Midwest, the Northeast and the Ohio Valley, will begin offering the service to customers in Houston, New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama, Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington.

“Over 1000 truckers are currently participating in the program in the Northeast, Ohio Valley and Midwest regions with great success. Less time swapping chassis means more time servicing their customers, reduced fuel costs resulting in a direct and immediate benefit from this program,” said Direct ChassisLink Vice President Andy Chinigo.

Direct ChassisLink plans to have 20,000 chassis available through its system by June 1.

tags: Direct ChassisLink, chassis

Horizon Lines Reports $13.2M Loss in 1st Q

Jones Act ocean carrier Horizon Lines Inc. posted a $13.2 million loss in the first quarter, citing increased operating expenses and a decline in container traffic on all the carrier's routes except for its Hawai'i/Guam service.

The first quarter loss is $3.2 million greater, or 24 percent, than the $10 million loss Horizon reported in the first quarter of 2009.

"During the quarter, we faced ongoing rate pressures, high fuel costs and increased contractual labor expenses relative to last year, and we expect these to continue," said Chuck Raymond, Horizon's chairman, president and chief executive officer.

After adjustments, Horizon reported its per share loss at 39 cents. Industry watching analysts had expected the loss to be in the 26 cents per share range.

Revenues during the first quarter rose 5 percent to $286.1 million.

Company-wide, total container volume for the first quarter fell by 1.9 percent, mainly on lackluster performance in the Puerto Rico and Alaska services. However, in the carrier's Hawaii/Guam service, total container volume was up slightly for the quarter.

"Our business in Hawaii is reflecting a modest economic recovery and Alaska is stabilizing," Raymond said. "Hawaii and Guam have improved nicely. They're up a couple of percentage points in March and we're seeing the same in April."

Guam Port Clears Hurdle For $50 Million in Upgrade Plans

The US Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration has awarded Hunt Valley, Maryland-based EA Engineering, Science and Technology a contract to manage the Port Authority of Guam's $200 million port modernization project, spurring hope on the island that long-sought after funds for the project will now begin to flow.

The management contract was required to be in place before the US Congress can authorize $50 million in Defense Department funds for the port project.

Previous attempts to raise funds to kick-start the modernization program have not met with much success. In mid-February, the federal government refused to authorize $50 million in national recovery grant funds to the Guam port authority. The loss also cost the port authority $49.1 million in matching funds from the US Department of Agriculture.

However, port officials are upbeat about the $50 million from the Defense Department and are hoping to work with the Obama Administration to secure more funds in the near future.

The modernization plan comes as the Defense Department readies a $15 billion plan to begin moving about 8,000 US Marines and 9,000 of their dependents from Okinawa, Japan to a new base on Guam. Island officials believe that without the upgrades to the commercial port, the military buildup, set to begin later this year and run through 2014, will cause significant disruptions to commercial shipping to the island.

Under the terms of the management contract, EA Engineering, which has a presence on Guam, will be responsible for awarding nearly $157 million worth of contracts related to the $200 million modernization program.

Financial details of the contract with EA Engineering were not released.

San Diego Port Gets New Top Cop

Brainerd, Minn., Police Chief John Bolduc has been named the new Chief of Harbor Police with the Unified Port of San Diego.

Bolduc, a Twin Cities-native and 24-year police veteran, will take over the 140 officer and 20 civilian staff member department in San Diego on May 14. The San Diego harbor police are overseen by the port's board of commissioners and have jurisdiction in five cities: Chula Vista, Coronado, Imperial Beach, National City and San Diego.

In addition to serving nine years as police chief of Brainerd, Bolduc also previously served three years as chief of police for the city of Mora, Minn.

"In the 33 years I've been on the Brainerd City Council, to me I've never had a finer police chief," Brainerd Mayor James Wallin told the Brainerd Dispatch. "Our loss is their gain, of course, but at least we had him for nine years. He made the department what it is today and I'm very thankful we had him for nine years."

LA Port Wins FMC Green Award for Truck Program

One day after the start of a legal case that may determine the fate of the Port of Los Angeles' Clean Truck Program, the United States Federal Maritime Commission announced that the port had been named the recipient of the inaugural FMC Chairman's Earth Day Award for the same program.

FMC Chairman Richard Lidinsky, Jr. cited the port's "innovation and environmental leadership" in the development and implementation of the truck program. Lidinsky noted that since the truck program was first implemented in October 2008, port monitoring has recorded a 70 percent drop in truck emissions, eliminating more than 30 tons of pollutants from the skies annually.

The port was selected on the basis of the following criteria: innovation in design of sustainability-enhancing incentives, measurement, and accountability; effectiveness in increasing sustainability, efficiency, and reducing environmental impacts; and anticipated creation of green jobs through efficient ocean commerce that grows in a sustainable manner.

"Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Port Executive Director Geraldine Knatz and their team have shown real leadership in developing a Clean Truck program that, as the centerpiece of the Port's Clean Air Action Plan, combines incentives with accountability to make our nation's busiest liner shipping port complex more sustainable," said Lidinsky.

Lidinsky also noted that the port has promoted the provision of dock-side Alternative Maritime Power, or “cold-ironing,” for both cargo and passenger vessels; electric and alternative fuel drayage vehicles through demonstration projects; the first hybrid tug in operation in the United States; wildlife habitat promotion and restoration; and water quality and conservation measures.

The American Trucking Associations are currently suing the port over certain non-environmental aspects of the truck program that are currently under injunction by a District Court order. Ironically, in 2007 the FMC also sought to halt the Los Angeles truck program in court, though later dropped the case after the ATA won its injunctions.