FEC Miami Port Line - Downtown Spur

To add to the above, operations are doing OK to the Port of Miami, they are running a job down there at lest twice a day and maybe more. Miami and Port Everglades are still the closest ports in the US to the Panama Canal and I think they are going to do just fine, everything takes time.
Noel Weaver

The bad news for the worldwide maritime shipping industry just keeps "getting badder". Now, two Taiwanese concerns are going to get a government bailout, so reports the Wall Street Journal:

http://www.wsj.com/articles/taiwan-appr ... 1479313587" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Fair Use:

Taiwan’s government has approved a $1.9 billion relief package for the country’s loss-making container shipping companies to prevent a collapse similar to Korea’s Hanjin Shipping Co.

People with direct knowledge of the matter said the package, announced late Tuesday, involves a credit line with preferential interest rates aimed mainly to help Evergreen Marine Corp. and Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. , two of the world’s biggest container operators.

“The nation relies on shipping firms to transport goods that come in large quantities, which is key to our economic development,” said Wang Kwo-tsai, Taiwan’s deputy minister of transportation, adding that the fallout from Hanjin’s August bankruptcy caused chaos in global supply chains, with $14 billion worth of goods stranded at sea for months

There is no regulatory authority over ocean shipping, and the lines appear to be involved with ruinous cut throat price competition considering that a container can be shipped Asia to Europe for $700 and with a break even point of $1400. If that be the case, is there even enough $$$ to gas up the boat and pay the driver?

Unquestionably. All this has an effect upon the viability of the Neo-PANAMAX project, be such the Canal itself or the East Coast ports expanding to handle this new era of global commerce.

And finally let us not forget the supposed anti-trade position of the incoming Trump administration. All this could well be enough to "throw cold water" on a possible sale of the FEC.

From.Marriott Biscayne Bay Miami

First view; eight cranes Skyward three down. I sure hope the State didn't go crazy over Neo-PANAMAX, but I do recognize one sighting is hardly indicative of the Port's activity.

From Marriott Biscayne Bay Miami--

A very brief but interesting conversation at the Bar with a retired FDNY Captain who now does fire safety consulting work for the PANYNJ. I noted to him my thought that "too many cranes Skyward" here and my earlier thought of same from what I could safely see of Port Elizabeth when driving by on the NJTPK last October.

He concurred.

As I have noted through this topic my concerns that the East Coast ports have thrown a "Neo-PANAMAX party" - and nobody came are coming to light. I have no idea if the Neo-PANAMAX tolls have been set too high, which would mean that Warren and Uncle Pete will "do OK". But with the maritime industry that evidently "over expanded" and are in a ruinous rate war that nobody will win (think Hanjin), the Canal authority may have no alternative than to follow suit.

It's worth noting that the amount of cranes recently bought by Norfolk and Savannah are some of the biggest orders ever seen in the crane business, with Baltimore and Charleston ordering a few as well. I believe Norfolk is in the lead with 86 yard cranes and 4 off-loaders.

For weekend after this. I booked, and paid extra, for a room at Marriott Biscayne Bay with a Port of Miami view. While the Love Tubs are predictable, it will be interesting to see if there is more cargo activity than I have observed Neo-PANAMAX.

From Marriott Biscayne Bay Miami

From what I can see (I have a bone to pick with the hotel this year regarding the definition of a Port of Miami view), one set of cranes are down, the others "skyward"

It must be that the desk clerk doesn't "know the territory", as in: "qualified to operate".

From Marriott Biscayne Bay Miami

Yes Mr. Rockingham, it does annoy me.

They put about a $30/ni premium atop their "not exactly Motel 6 rates", and this year they blew it with me. I'm "Silver" in Marriott's reward plan and I have stayed in this hotel once every year since '11. Port of Miami view means a high floor in the 31 story structure - not the 8th floor.

Mr. JW.; listening?

Rant is over, Mr. Golden Arm, feel free to kill this.

But to close "on topic", it's Sunday, but all cranes are "Skyward".

don't feel bad gil, i'm a platinum member, and don't get anything special, other than points to redeem for home depot/lowes gift cards.

Tadman wrote:It's worth noting that the amount of cranes recently bought by Norfolk and Savannah are some of the biggest orders ever seen in the crane business, with Baltimore and Charleston ordering a few as well. I believe Norfolk is in the lead with 86 yard cranes and 4 off-loaders.

Hopefully Mr. Dunville, your outfit got a piece of that action.

The Times has an article today about the Port of Savannah. They’re booming ("right to work State I'm sure a factor and are unconcerned about the impact of any possible "trade war":

http://nytimes.com/2018/05/18/business/ ... trade.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Fair Use:

..SAVANNAH, Ga. — Savannah’s ocean ports feature skyscraping silver cranes that stand at attention on the water’s edge. Container ships stretch the length of four football fields, with 40-foot containers stacked behind them like multicolored Lego bricks.

But an empty patch of freshly bulldozed dirt is the first spot at the sprawling Garden City Terminal that Griffith Lynch, the executive director of the Georgia Ports Authority, wants to show off.

That is the site of a new $127 million rail depot that will enable double-decker trains as long as the National Mall to be loaded right at the port. It is one piece of a larger vision that Mr. Lynch contends Savannah is uniquely positioned to achieve: Shippers here will be able to deliver goods to Midwestern cities in the time it takes other ports to finish heaving cargo off a boat.

Note mention of the rail facilities. At Miami, I can only hope that with one railroad now owned by Mexican interests does not give the maritime companies the desire to sail elsewhere. Now it's correct that to the FEC, their maximum line haul is their only line haul (I don't think the Palatka interchange with NS is in use) and they can interchange to either CSX or NS without prejudice at JAX. But there are maritime ports in Mexico as well, and possibly there could be favoritism leaving Miami with its cranes "forever skyward".

From Marriott Biscayne Bay Miami--

This year as I look out my window at the Port, only two of the five cranes are "skyward". So, maybe my previous concerns I've expressed here about the Port, at last today, are unfounded.

I still await observing an FEC train moving to the Port; but then, I'm only down here once a year.

I cruise out of Miami Port 3 or 4 times a year and every time so far, I have seen a FEC train arriving, departing or working in the port. Not very scientific, but at least there is activity there. Usually around 10am to 12 noon.

From Marriott Biscayne Bay Miami--

At this moment, ALL cranes are SEAWARD, but the FEC bridge is UP..

The Love Tubs have all sailed (uh, not my idea of fun).