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Thursday, May 6, 2010
Wilmington, NC termed ‘biggest success story’ by international trade publication
The Journal of Commerce ranks Port of Wilmington 25th top overall container port
 | | Port crane operators discharge containers from the Independent Accord at the Port of Wilmington, NC. Photo by Susan N. Pridgen |
Wilmington, NC -- Global trade and logistics publication, The Journal of Commerce (JOC) characterized the Port of Wilmington, NC container terminal as ‘perhaps the biggest success story’ in an article this week on their inaugural rankings of North American top 25 ports.
“Perhaps the biggest success story is the one told at the North Carolina ports, where new services by Maersk Line and Independent Container Line spurred a 25 percent gain in total volume to almost 185,000 TEUs, good enough for the No. 25 ranking on the JOC’s list,” reported Peter T. Leach of the JOC.
Both ICL and Maersk began service at the Port of Wilmington in March 2009. ICL provides weekly service between Wilmington, NC, and north Europe and the United Kingdom. The Danish container shipping company, Maersk Line, connects Wilmington with its weekly South America Express service to Puerto Cortes, Honduras and Santo Tomas, Guatemala in northern Central America. Inland transport is provided to El Salvador and Nicaragua.
 | | Maersk Tangier discharges containers at the Port of Wilmington, NC. Photo by Susan N. Pridgen |
“In addition, volumes for the two weekly CKYH transpacific services have outpaced the market. Especially in this tough economic environment, this news demonstrates ocean carriers benefit from the lower costs and superior service they experience at the Port of Wilmington,” said NC State Ports Authority CEO Thomas J. Eagar.
The JOC rankings showed container exports at Wilmington increase 49% and imports rose nearly nine percent in the same period. The data was provided by U.S. Piers Global Intelligence Solutions, a sister company of The Journal of Commerce.
ABOUT THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE PORTS AUTHORITY:
North Carolina's Ports in Wilmington and Morehead City, plus inland terminals in Charlotte and the Piedmont Triad in Greensboro, link the State's consumers, businesses and industry to world markets, and serve as magnets to attract new business and industry while receiving no direct taxpayer subsidy. Port activities contribute statewide to 65,000 jobs and $500 million each year in state and local tax revenues.
Top trading partners are China, India, Brazil, So. Korea, Belgium, Taiwan, Mexico, Colombia, Great Britain and Venezuela.
Primary exports are phosphate, forest products, woodpulp, general merchandise, food products, wood chips and military.
Top imports are sulfur products, chemicals, grains, rubber, scrap metal, cement, metal products, machinery parts, ore, mica and schist.
INFORMATION:
Shannon Moody, Director of Communications (910) 343-6482 Email
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