The Beacon Summer 2007 - Maritime Exchange for the Delaware

THE
MARITIME EXCHANGE
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Philadelphia, PA 19106
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PERMIT NO. 1635
Serving Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania
Summer 2007
Volume 17, No. 2
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http://www.maritimedelriv.com [email protected]
45 FEET ! WE DIG IT ! ! !
Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell (left) and State
Representative William Keller announce the approval
of the 45’ Delaware River Deepening Project. (Photo
courtesy of Joseph Menta, Philadelphia Regional Port Authority)
The project to deepen the Delaware River main
channel from 40 to 45 feet took a gigantic leap forward on May 17 when Pennsylvania Governor Ed
Rendell announced that conflicts with New Jersey
related to the project have been resolved and that the
local sponsorship of the project will be transferred
from the Delaware River Port Authority to the
Philadelphia Regional Port Authority. “With our
agreement to move forward, Pennsylvania, through
the PRPA, is now prepared to begin an aggressive program of investment in the port of Philadelphia,”
Governor Rendell said. “I believe nothing is more
important to the future of the ports of Philadelphia,
southern New Jersey and Delaware than this project.”
He also announced his endorsement of a comprehensive and aggressive $300 million capital improvement
that will modernize and expand the Ports of
Philadelphia’s facilities and infrastructure.
The dredging project, estimated to cost $300 million,
will run from the mouth of the Delaware Bay to the
Benjamin Franklin Bridge that connects Philadelphia
and Camden, a distance of approximately 100 miles.
This project was authorized in the Water Resources
Development Act of 1992, and since 1996, $66 million dollars in federal funding has been appropriated
in a succession of Energy and Water appropriation
bills. “Dredging the channel is indispensable to the
Delaware Valley region if it is to remain competitive
with other deep-water ports,” said U. S. Senator Arlen
Specter (R-PA). “This project has the potential to
bring thousands of jobs and billions of dollars to the
region. To date, I have helped secure in excess of $66
million in federal funding for the Army Corps of
Engineers to deepen the main channel,” he said.
As the project sponsor, PRPA and the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will be responsible
for financing the required local match for this project.
In addition, Pennsylvania has agreed to accept all
dredge materials from this project, including those
materials that had been previously designated to be
placed in New Jersey disposal sites, except to the
extent that New Jersey seeks dredge material for port
facility projects located on its side of the river.
“This is truly a great day, probably the greatest
day we’ve had in the past ten years,” said PRPA
Chairman Brian Preski. He noted that Pennsylvania
continued on page 3
TWIC Delays a Blessing and a Curse
As the last issue of The
Beacon went to press in February,
the ink on the final rule implementing TWIC was barely dry,
TSA had just announced the
award of a $70 million contract to
Lockheed Martin to implement
the program, and the Coast Guard
had released a draft Navigation
and Vessel Inspection Circular
(NVIC) that outlined the parameters for escorts and clarified the
distinction between “secure” and
“restricted” areas.
At long last, it seemed, the
TWIC program – originally
scheduled for implementation
immediately following the completion of the pilot program on
December 31, 2003 – was finally
underway.
“While there were – and are –
still a number of questions
remaining from the publication of
the TWIC final rule, for the most
part we were relieved that some-
thing was finally happening,” said
Exchange Vice President Lisa
Himber.
By March 7, local Coast
Guard and TSA held the first of a
series of outreach meetings in the
Delaware Valley to help maritime
stakeholders understand the rules
and requirements of the program.
And at the same time, TSA and
Lockheed announced the formation of a TWIC Stakeholder
Communications Committee to
serve as a forum to distribute
information and through which
questions could be raised and
answered. This, many believed,
was in a genuine effort to respond
to industry and Congressional
criticism of TSA’s poor record of
communicating information during and after the pilot program.
The final rule was to be implemented within 60 days, and TSA
and Lockheed announced a
March 26 start up date for
Wilmington, Delaware.
(For
those of you who aren’t aware,
the Delaware state slogan is “It’s
Good Being First.”) For any
number of reasons, chief among
which
was
because
of
Wilmington’s existing relationship with TSA, Wilmington was
selected to be the first location in
the nation where TWIC applications will be accepted and
processed.
“Of course we have concerns
about being the first port to rollout the TWIC,” said Eugene R.
Bailey, Executive Director of the
Port of Wilmington. But he suggests there are also some benefits.
“First, we believe we’ll have the
opportunity to guide program
development. In addition, all
eyes will be on this program, and
we’re confident that if something
goes wrong, TSA will devote all
available resources to making it
continued on page 5
Security Grant to
Fund Maritime OnLine Enhancements
The Exchange scored a big hit with members when it
launched the latest addition to the Maritime On-Line suite
of applications: access to real-time vessel movement
information through an Automatic Identification System
(AIS) display. In beta test with a handful of members for
several months, the Exchange released the system to
members on May 7.
“Both management and the tug crews have embraced
the system since it was offered by the Exchange, the ability to accurately identify the position of our fleet, customers
vessels and outside hire tugs offers myriad opportunities
and benefits to the manager and mariner alike,” said John
Gazzola, Jr., Vice President and General Manager of
Moran Towing of Pennsylvania.
Developed in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers and the Delaware River Port Authority, which
provided space for two of the three AIS antennae needed
to cover the 90-miles of navigable waterway, the system
includes filters to display information by vessel type,
detailed anchorage maps with mile markers, multi-level
zoom capabilities, and labels which identify commercial
cargo facilities. In addition to providing this service to
members, the Exchange is also making it available to the
Area Maritime Security Committee with a need and a right
to access the display.
Among the first to take the Exchange up on its offer
were staff members at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay,
local U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and representatives of the Departments of Homeland Security in
Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
In formal partnership with the State of Delaware, the
Exchange submitted a port security grant application to
integrate the position information obtained through AIS
with its static vessel/voyage database. “Our analysts have
been using data from the Exchange Maritime On-Line
System for several months,” said Ed Smith, Homeland
Security Advisor for the State of Delaware Department of
continued on page 7
The Beacon 2
Summer, 2007
Trade with Cuba
At the invitation of State Representative Joe
Miro, I recently had the opportunity to participate in the State of Delaware Agricultural Trade
Mission to Cuba.
The purpose of the business mission in
Havana from March 4 – 8 was to explore trade
opportunities between the state of Delaware
and the Republic of Cuba. As in 2004 when
Pennsylvania participated in a similar mission,
this was another opportunity to showcase the
economic strength of our region as well as each
individual state.
We met with Pedro Alvarez, President of
Alimport, the government entity responsible for
negotiating every trade transaction between
Cuba and a foreign country a number of times
over the four days. These discussions and
negotiations focused on exporting frozen poultry products and the transportation platform to
move these cargos from the Port of Wilmington
to Havana.
This is at best a challenging process. Under
the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992, the U.S.
Commerce Department can authorize the
exportation of a limited number of products to
Cuba, food and agricultural commodities being
among them. These transactions are regulated
under the auspices of the U.S. Treasury
Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control
(OFAC). The parties involved in the direct
negotiations remain optimistic that an agreement will be reached to export poultry to Cuba.
One issue that needs to be addressed is the
regulatory oversight by OFAC of the financial
transactions associated with these export shipments to Cuba. Under current law, U.S.
exporters must receive payment for the shipment through an overseas bank prior to the vessel departing for Cuba from a U.S. port. The
language governing this oversight appears to be
vague and ambiguous resulting in delays and
uncertainty that frustrate the foreign banker and
the owner and consignee of the cargo. Ensuring
compliance with the existing sanctions and
embargo on Cuba should not be allowed to disrupt the financial transactions to support trade
permitted under the Cuban Democracy act of
1992.
In addition to Representative Miro, delegation participants included Delaware Secretary
of Agricultural Michael Scuse, State
Representative Helene Keeley, John Pastor,
Delaware Director of International Trade, Tom
Keefer, Deputy Executive Director of the Port
of Wilmington, Rebecca Faber, Executive
Director, World Trade Center Delaware, Jeff
Dayton, Office of Congressman Mike Castle,
Bob Palaima, President Delaware River
Rochford in Cuba pictured with Delaware State
Representative Joseph Miro (R-District 22) and Pedro
Alvarez, President & CEO of Alimport.
Stevedores, Michael Little, International Sales
Manager, Mountaire Farms, Anabel Panayotti,
President, Port to Port International and her
Vice President and Trade Development
Manager Gwen North and James Thomas.
Kirby Jones of Alamar Associates coordinated
the meetings and travel to Cuba.
In the next issue: some personal observations on the future of trade with Cuba.
Have a safe and happy summer!
Summer, 2007
The Beacon 3
Maritime Stakeholders Gain Traction in Promoting
Regional Port Development
The Maritime Stakeholders Group
(MSG) organized last November under the
umbrella of the Ports of the Delaware River
Marine Trade Association (PMTA), the
International Longshoremen’s Association
(ILA), the Pilots’ Association for the Bay and
River Delaware and the Maritime Exchange,
has made significant progress in developing
a regional port marketing strategy.
The MSG retained maritime consulting
firm Paul F. Richardson Associates, Inc. to
conduct a study and to coordinate efforts
with both the public port authorities and private port operators. “Progress in this type of
an undertaking requires all parties to be
open, cooperative, and frank in their comments. This captures exactly the spirit of my
discussions with the port authority, business
and labor union representatives I have met
with over the past several months,” said
Edward M. A. Zimny of the Richardson
Group.
The thrust of the study is to capitalize on
the fact that the ports along the Delaware
River handle the largest volumes of breakbulk cargos on the East Coast, while at the
same time focus on port infrastructure
investment that will allow the regional port to
capture a larger share of the expanding
global container trade. “This port has been
on the move in recent years,” said Capt.
Michael Linton, President of the Pilots’
Association, “and our purpose in bringing
together this port stakeholders group is to
be sure we have a clear and comprehensive
strategy to keep us on the move and competitive with other East Coast ports.”
“Global trade, to include containers, will
double by 2020,” Zimny said, “and the existing maritime transportation infrastructure,
especially on the West Coast, will strain
under the demands imposed by an increase
in Trans Pacific trade.” This point was reinforced by Journal of Commerce Senior
Editor Peter Leach who wrote:
“Philadelphia is ideally positioned to benefit
from the ever growing demand for more port
capacity on the East Coast, especially in the
Northeast, to handle all water container traffic from Asia.”
As the study has progressed, considerable attention has been paid to the proposed Southport container terminal project.
This project encompasses 330 acres running south from the Packer Avenue Marine
Terminal through piers 122 and 124 and the
Philadelphia Navy Yard. In addition to the
size of this proposed terminal, it will be the
only United States port with direct access to
three Class I railroads. Based on current
economic and trade statistics, this new container terminal complex could handle more
than 3.5 million TEUs and employ approximately 175,000 port and port-related workers.
According to Uwe Shultz, President of
the PMTA, “With the congestion at West
Coast ports, the ship size restrictions of the
Panama Canal, and the growing importance
of the Suez Canal because of its ability to
accommodate the larger container ships
that are being built today, the Southport project is a perfect fit for expanding global trade
markets.”
Pennsylvania State Representative
William F. Keller (D-Phila.), a former longshoreman, has called the commercial port
development “a dream for Philadelphia we
have been anticipating for 30 years. When
word gets around about the potential for this
proposal, the offers will be coming in by the
truckload.” To date, seven potential private
investors have formally indicated their interest in this project.
“This is a godsend for our region
because this expansion will create good
paying blue collar jobs that will allow workers to keep home and hearth together in
challenging economic times,” said Boise
Butler, President of ILA Local 1291. Butler
went on to note that “These are the kind of
jobs that will never be outsourced to a foreign country.”
The comprehensive marketing strategy
involving the entire Delaware River port
complex is currently being completed. “As
is the case with the Southport project,” said
Exchange President Rochford, “specific
public and private investment opportunities
in port and transportation gateway assets
will be highlighted so that collaboration
among private and public investors can
result in a comprehensive infrastructure
investment strategy that will yield positive
results for individual maritime businesses as
well as our regional port.”
Rochford, Ives Tour the
STAR Center
Channel Fight Over
continued from page 1
“has stepped up to the plate in a huge
way to help us modernize our port.
Between deeper water and significantly improved, expanded facilities, nothing will stop us to fulfill our mission of
job creation, economic development,
and logistics efficiency as never
before.”
Pennsylvania State Representative
Bill Keller (D-Phila.) highlighted the
criticality of the project to keeping
Delaware River ports competitive with
other East Coast ports. “Because the
ports of New York/New Jersey,
Baltimore,
Wilmington,
North
Carolina, Charleston and Savannah
have channel depths that range from 42
to 50 feet,” Keller said, “deepening the
Delaware River main channel to 45
feet is absolutely essential to keeping
our port competitive in terms of both
protecting the business we have as well
as attracting new cargos and carriers to
terminal facilities along the river.
Deepening the channel to 45 feet is
tremendous boost to the planned PRPA
Southport project, which, when fully
developed, will handle 3.5 million containers annually and sustain 175,000
new jobs.”
Economic and environmental
analyses conducted by a variety of governmental agencies, as well as independent consultants, show that the deepening project meets both national and
regional standards. Reflecting on all of
the efforts and studies to date, Capt.
Michael Linton, President of the Pilots’
Association for the Bay and River
Delaware, urged that the project now
needs to move forward in a timely
manner. “In my mind, the economic
justification for this project is reflected
in the collective voice of vessel and
port operators who on a day-to-day
basis speak with importers, exporters
and shippers throughout the United
States and the world as they strive to
bring business to our port. Their customers understand what we have been
fighting for over the past 20 years –
deeper water means a more efficient
port. A more efficient port is obviously a more competitive port.”
Longshore laborers have been
vocal and strong advocates for the
deepening project. ILA Local 1291
President Boise Butler believes “this is
more than just a dredging project, it is
a job security and job growth project
that will benefit our region economically and the thousands of families who
live here.”
Over the upcoming weeks and
months, focus will now turn to the legal
requirements necessary to make the
PRPA the local sponsor as the next step
in the process of executing a Project
Cooperation Agreement with the Corps
of Engineers.
Dennis Rochford has been looking
forward to this day since he assumed
the Presidency of the Exchange in
1994. “There is obviously a lot of hard
work ahead of us, but it is a challenge
we willingly and enthusiastically
accept. Bringing this project to fruition
is long overdue.”
In February Exchange President Dennis Rochford and Director Capt. Paul Ives
toured STAR, Simulation Training Assessment & Research Center, an ISO 9001
Quality Training Center in Florida. The Center provides expertise and input to
industry and regulatory bodies that promote the improvement of safety at sea,
protection of the marine environment, and the overall betterment of the worldwide maritime community.
The Beacon 4
Summer, 2007
Message From the Chairman
Following are excerpts from the chairman’s report to Exchange members at the March Annual Meeting
I am pleased to
report that the Maritime Exchange completed yet another
very successful year
in 2006. In January,
2007, the Board approved a budget that
Exchange Chairman of the
allows the organizaBoard, Richard E. DeGennaro
tion to build on its
past achievements,
and to continue to provide information and communications
support to vessels, agents, government agencies, and others who serve our port and its customers. The Exchange
will continue to serve as a critical part of the infrastructure
in the Delaware River and Bay.
Most notably, the Exchange, with both public and private financial support, implemented significant improvements to the Maritime On-Line network. Foremost among
these were the completion of a new digital VHF radio network to ensure complete ship-to-shore radio coverage, and
comprehensive enhancements and upgrades to the
Exchange’s disaster recovery site to ensure continued
operation of all mission-critical Maritime On-Line systems.
In addition, the Exchange continued migration of Maritime
On-Line to a web-based platform to better meet the continued and growing demands of commercial and law enforcement users.
The ports of the Delaware River continue to provide an
important contribution to the commercial base of the region.
Last year, 2,847 ships called Delaware River ports, compared to 2,700 in 2005, another year of significant change
and growth for the ports.
There was certainly no decline in 2006 in the volume of
security-driven regulations, and the Exchange worked diligently on behalf of members on a variety of Coast Guard
and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) programs to
include CBP’s “Gateout” Policy, which was announced in
October and requires terminal operators to validate cargo
clearance status via the Automatic Manifest System (AMS).
In August, the Exchange attended the Coast Guard
hosted invitation-only symposium which brought together a
select group of maritime industry executives and U.S. government officials to identify issues and develop alternative
solutions to improve national planning for recovery of the
marine transportation system after a national transportation
security incident. Also, when DHS was charged with creating Government Coordinating Councils in each of the 17
defined industry sectors, private interests were asked to
create corresponding Sector Coordinating Councils. In
November of 2006, maritime interests agreed to form a
Maritime Sector Coordinating Council (MSCC) under the
Transportation Sector, and the Exchange participated in
both the initial deliberations and in the development of a
draft charter and governance document.
Corps of Engineers’ (COE) issues remained at the forefront of the Exchange’s legislative agenda in 2006, and we
worked diligently with key members of our Congressional
delegation concerning the Water Resources Development
Act and securing the necessary funding for vital COE projects. The Exchange will also continue its work in 2007 to
craft the necessary legislative language that will keep the
Hopper Dredge MCFARLAND operational.
The Delaware River Main Channel Deepening Project
enjoyed considerable attention in 2006 thanks to the efforts
of Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell. In December,
Governor Rendell announced that Pennsylvania had made
major concessions toward ending the state’s year-long
deadlock with New Jersey over dredging the Delaware
River. This dispute has kept the Delaware River Port
Authority Board from meeting, adopting a budget, or
approving projects since November of 2005.
Last year the Exchange remained engaged with the
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the development of regulations to implement the Transportation
Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) Program. In May
of 2006, the TSA and Coast Guard published joint proposed
rulemakings governing TWIC implementation. In conjunction with its Delaware River Credentialing Work Group, the
Exchange drafted comments to both the TSA and Coast
Guard dockets; this document was shared throughout the
community for members’ use in commenting as well.
The rulemaking comment period closed in July, and in
August the TSA and Coast Guard announced that the
TWIC program would be split into two separate phases.
The first would cover card application and issuance only;
the second would require the installation and usage of
TWIC readers. In November, through the National Maritime
Security Advisory Committee (NMSAC), the Exchange
accepted the leadership of a working group formed to
develop recommendations to the TSA and Coast Guard on
Phase II of the TWIC implementation.
That the Exchange participates in any number of government agency and related committees – to include the
NMSAC, CESAC, COAC, ACE, etc – allows us to know first
hand what new rules and reporting requirements are coming down the pike and proactively engage with our private
sector partners to modify or expand our centralized communications hub. And we are also well positioned to intervene on behalf of our users to challenge those requirements that are onerous on industry and contribute little to
overall port security.
The end result of this engaged participation allows the
Exchange the resources and stature to be an effective
advocate for its membership on a full range of maritime and
trade issues.
There is no doubt that the Exchange would not be
where it is today without a strong and active membership.
On behalf of the Exchange Board and staff, allow me to
take this opportunity to once again thank you for your ongoing support of the organization and its mission.
It has been a pleasure to be of service, and I look forward to another year of growth and service to our members.
MCALLISTER TOWING OF PHILADELPHIA, INC.
COMMANDANT BUILDING, PHILADELPHIA NAVAL BUSINESS CENTER
4900 SOUTH BROAD STREET, BLDG. 6, PHILADELPHIA PA 19112
TELE: 215.551.3021
FAX: 215.551.3029
24-HR. DISPATCHER: 215.922.6200
Frank Huesser, Vice President/General Manager
[email protected]
UNSURPASSED SHIP DOCKING AND TOWING
SERVICES SINCE 1864
PHILADELPHIA NEW YORK BALTIMORE HAMPTON ROADS
WILMINGTON GEORGETOWN CHARLESTOWN PORT ROYAL
JACKSONVILLE PORT EVERGLADES
AND
SAN JUAN, P.R.
Summer, 2007
The Beacon 5
Maritime Exchange Annual Elections
The Exchange extends its appreciation to those members who voted in the Annual Election held in March.
The following directors were elected:
Directors
William F. Anderson
General Marine Refrigeration Corp.
John F. Carr
Richard E. DeGennaro
Edward Hazzouri
Sunoco, Inc.
Holt Oversight & Logistical Technologies
Jean Wm. Cureton
Steven Nutter
Barwil Unitor Ships Service
John T. Reynolds
GAC-RUR
James Lyons, Jr.
J. H. Stevedoring Company, Inc.
H. Hickman Rowland
Delaware Valley Marine, Inc.
Wilmington Tug, Inc.
Officers
Richard E. DeGennaro
Chairman
TWIC: On Again,
Off Again
continued from page 1
work,” he said. Lockheed and TSA
teams were on scene in Wilmington
within a week of the contract award to
start trusted agent training.
Lockheed and TSA teams were on
scene in Wilmington within a week of
the contract award to start trusted
agent training.
At a pace fast and furious, there
was tangible evidence that the program had gained momentum and was
at long last moving forward.
However, on March 19, citing
technical difficulties, TSA announced
to Delaware River stakeholders that
the pilot program would be delayed
until at least mid-May.
When pressed by the Senate
Commerce Committee to explain the
delay at a hearing in April, DHS
Assistant Secretary for TSA Kip
Hawley told members in no uncertain
terms that the Department will choose
to “get it right” rather than meet a
deadline. “Having been through the
TWIC pilot program, we can’t argue
with that,” Himber said. At the time
of the hearing on April 12, at which
Himber testified as well, maritime
interests continued to give TSA the
benefit of the doubt. “Our members
are starting to lose patience though.
We’re now in the middle of May and
TSA has not released any additional
information. No hint of when the
technical problems might be solved,
no deployment schedule, no list of
“top 10” ports, no final NVIC so
facilities can complete their planning.” She added that while industry
understands that TSA does not want
to provide information until they can
be certain they will be able to do what
they say they’re going to do, a complete embargo on program status
updates only leads to an increase in
speculation and prevents maritime
stakeholders from making decisions
on how they can implement the program and when they need to be pre-
John T. Reynolds
Vice Chairman
A. Robert Degen, Esq.
Secretary/Solicitor
pared to do so. “So much for improving communications,” she added.
Yet the delay has allowed additional time for employers to address
some of the outstanding questions
surrounding the program. Foremost
among these is the fact that the final
TWIC rule is silent on the issue of
casual labor, which is an integral part
of efficient maritime operations.
While the regulation and the draft
NVIC provide accommodation to
escort non-TWIC holders, there is no
clear pathway to implementing the
escort requirement. “This is undoubtedly one of our biggest challenges,”
said Robert W. Palaima, President of
Delaware River Stevedores, Inc,
which operates in all three states. “It
is difficult to conceive an access control plan in which one worker could
escort even one individual, let alone
several others, on a constant basis
while still fulfilling his own responsibilities.” In addition to the practical
difficulties, in some cases the physical layout of the marine facility prohibits the ability of the cardholder to
fulfill his obligations.
In the Delaware River community,
a series of meetings has taken place
over the last several months between
employers,
the
International
Longshoreman’s Association, TSA,
Coast Guard, staff members of the
Delaware Congressional Delegation,
Lt. Governor John Carney, the State
Department of Labor, the Exchange
and others in an effort to find a solution which will balance security
needs with the facilitation of commerce.
Another major concern involves
the issue of liability for the actions of
those being escorted. At a May 15
meeting at the Port of Wilmington,
TSA confirmed that facility operators
have the ultimate responsibility if an
individual under escort causes a transportation security incident or otherwise violates existing laws or facility/vessel security policies. Facilities
will have to think long and hard before
making the decision to allow nonTWIC holders on site with escorts
who are not facility employees.
Dorothy Mather Ix
Treasurer
Everyone believes the right solution is to require that everyone who
works on a port must have a TWIC
card. But because many workers are
hired on the spot to work that same
day, there is no way to complete the
necessary threat assessment.
The bottom line is, if facilities
require a TWIC for access, there are
concerns that U.S. ports may no
longer be able to work ships in a timely or efficient manner.
Himber added that TSA and Coast
Guard have been extremely responsive to the concerns of Delaware
River port stakeholders and have
James F. Young, Esq.
Assistant Secretary
traveled to the region on multiple
occasions to provide additional information and answer questions.
“Everyone realizes this program will
be a huge change in business practice
and that there’s no way to guarantee
there won’t be any bumps or ‘unintended consequences.’ At least on the
Delaware River, TSA is doing what it
can to minimize the impact,” she said.
Employers, labor, and their associations continue efforts to identify a
solution to this seemingly unanswerable question. In the meantime, TSA
has given the industry time to work
through it.
The Beacon 6
Summer, 2007
Former COTP Appointed
Regional Director of FEMA
Capt. Jonathan
D. Sarubbi (ret.)
Jonathan D. Sarubbi was
recently appointed as Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator of
Region III in Philadelphia.
Sarubbi, who joined FEMA
on March 18 has the daunting
responsibility of coordinating
FEMA mitigation, preparedness and disaster response and
recovery activities in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and
the District of Columbia.
“Although this is a new
environment for me,” Sarubbi
said, “I look forward to reengaging in efforts to resolve
the ongoing challenges facing
DHS and its partners as we
seek to improve emergency
planning and preparedness.”
Immediately prior to joining
FEMA, Sarubbi was Vice
President of Marine Operations
for the International Registries,
Maritime and Corporate Administrators of the Republic of
the Marshall Islands.
As his last tour of duty for
the U.S. Coast Guard, Sarubbi
was Captain of the Port and
Federal Maritime Security Coordinator at what was then
known as MSO/Group Philadelphia, before retiring in 2005.
“My responsibilities at FEMA
are in many ways very similar
to those I had at the Coast
Guard – and with only 3,000
people nationwide at FEMA,
we need to work just as tight a
ship.” Under Sarubbi are four
offices – National Preparedness, Response/Recovery, Administration and Flood Insurance and Mitigation – employing approximately 90 people.
Please join the Exchange in
welcoming Jon back to the
area!
Corps of Engineers FY 2007 Delaware
River Regional Projects
The Office of Management and Budget released its work plan for FY ‘07 Corps of
Engineers Appropriations on March 20. As half the fiscal year has already passed, there
was some concern that various construction and maintenance projects might not be completed because of insufficient funds or lack of time in the fiscal year to issue contracts.
After a review of the COE Philadelphia District office FY ‘07 plan, it appears there will
be minimal adverse impact on Delaware River projects. Those receiving funding
include:
Philadelphia to the Sea $16.32 million;
Philadelphia to Trenton $2.49 million;
C & D Canal - $14.686 million, with additional money to fix a structural problem
on the Chesapeake City Bridge and begin the reconstruction of the Summit Bridge
approach roadways;
Wilmington Harbor - $3.475 million, which is enough to do dredging in June
though not enough to do additional needed disposal area maintenance;
New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway - $875,000 (funds will be used to dredge the
Cape May Canal in the vicinity of the Cape May-Lewes Ferry slips); and
McFarland will be used for an additional 25 days of Delaware River main channel maintenance dredging between Philadelphia and Trenton.
Brigadier General Todd T. Semonite, Commander, North Atlantic Division, US Army Corp of
Engineers, Lieutenant Colonel Gwen E. Baker, Philadelphia District Commander, US Army
Corps of Engineers, and Dennis Rochford, President, Maritime Exchange, met in April to
discuss the importance of the Hopper Dredge McFarland and other key Corps’ issues.
Summer, 2007
The Beacon 7
Agents/Operators Committee Changes Name
“Maritime Operations Committee” better captures diverse
issues on Committee agenda
The
Exchange’s
Maritime
Operations Committee meets twice a
year – more often if needed – and its
purpose is to provide a forum for industry members to come together with government officials who have oversight
over port operations to address and
resolve issues and challenges as they
arise. This committee – and the
Exchange – serves as a vehicle to
enhance communication between the
private and public sectors in our region.
At their spring meeting, committee
members agreed to change the name of
the committee from the Agents/
Operators Committee to the Maritime
Operations Committee to better reflect
the full scope of issues addressed
through this forum.
The spring meeting was well attended by both the port community and local
government agency representatives, and
the agenda was a full one. Among the
issues discussed were:
The FDA consideration to close the
Philadelphia Laboratory and consolidate it with other laboratories outside of
the Delaware River port. The possible
closure was met with much opposition
from the committee. The concerns are
that the Delaware River port will not
receive the same level of service if consolidated with other larger ports. Mr.
Tom Gardine, FDA, responded to the
concerns indicating the FDA’s goal is to
do better operationally and to bring consistency to the agency. FDA plans to
implement the new structure by October
1, 2007. The committee will continue to
oppose the closure through communications to the FDA Administrator.
The CBP report that since the CBP
MOL/AIS Integration Underway
continued from page 1
Safety and Homeland Security. “We
appreciate the work the Exchange has
done to improve maritime domain awareness and fully support them in their efforts
to improve the delivery of maritime intelligence.” The Exchange is in conversations
with New Jersey DHS officials to formalize
that partnership as well.
The Exchange received one of the 23
port security grants awarded in the
Delaware Bay region. “We can accomplish
a great deal with the $100,000 award,” said
VP Lisa Himber, citing plans to enhance
the AIS display to include local data such
as pier/berth destination, cargo description
and/or steamship agent. “In keeping with
our usual approach to system development, we will ask our members to tell us
what features they want us to include.”
System Aids Anchorage Mgmt.
At its December 2006 meeting, the
Mariners’ Advisory Committee for the Bay
and River Delaware (MAC) – the nation’s
first Harbor Safety Committee – adopted
recommendations under which the Maritime Exchange would assist in monitoring
the use of the region’s four upriver anchorages. “The Pilots’ Association and the
Exchange have a 130-year history of working together to improve the flow of vessel
movement information in this region,” said
Capt. John Cuff, who chairs the MAC.
“Particularly because of the proximity of the
Marcus Hook and Mantua Creek
Anchorages to local facilities, coupled with
the rise in Delaware River vessel traffic
over the last few years, it is increasingly
important that we closely coordinate information not only on what’s happening on the
river today, but what’s going to happen
tomorrow.” In concert with the MAC, the
Exchange has been using its AIS display to
identify what tugs are at which anchorages
and is updating mariners with estimated
vessel activity in the vicinity as appropriate.
Included in the MAC recommendation
was a request to operators of all tug boats
equipped with AIS to keep their systems
turned on at all times while in port.
“This system is a real-world example of
how public and private maritime stakeholders work cooperatively to facilitate safe and
efficient vessel and cargo operations in this
region.” Himber said. “We are excited by
the interest and support the Maritime OnLine system is generating and look forward
to continuing to be of service to both the
maritime business community and the public sector enforcement agencies who serve
this port.”
Directive concerning Gate-outs (release
of cargo from terminals without proper
CBP authorization), terminal facilities
now have access to the Automated
Manifest System (AMS) to review CBP
cargo release status. Mr. Alan Martocci,
CBP, was pleased to report that the
Delaware River port has not had a Gateout incident since October, 2006.
The USCG consideration of “Daylight
Hour Only” security boardings due to
loss of reservist personnel and the hazards of night boardings for the CG team.
Some concerns were voiced by the committee on this issue, and CDR Spencer
Wood requested comments from the
port industry.
COTP Orders no longer being issued for
vessel detentions. LTJG Ben Robinson
informed the group that they will know
of the detention by the Boarding Report,
Code 30 – IMO Detainable, as well as
being copied on the letter sent to notify
the vessel’s flag state of the detention.
The Exchange thanks the members
of the committee for their participation
in this important forum. It is from
issues raised by this and other committees that the Exchange develops its legislative and regulatory agenda.
Reminder, the Maritime Operations
Committee is open to all members and
is one of the primary means of communication between the federal agency
representatives and the port business
community.
For more information about the
committee, please contact Darleen
Michalak at 215-925-1524 or [email protected].
The Beacon 8
Summer, 2007
Interagency Operability and Readiness to Respond
By:
LT Jason Aleksak
U.S. Coast Guard
include security zone enforcements and vessel
escorts. This is a force multiplier that has greatly
enhanced the port’s maritime security capabilities
and presence. By the end of the summer, the
Coast Guard intends to enter into agreements with
both Camden, Police department and the city of
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Police department.
Several different training sessions with port
partners have been hosted by the Coast Guard to
Vehicle (ROV), which provides underwater camera and sonar pictures, off of Coast Guard Cutters.
All of this training has raised the level of maritime professionalism for the Coast Guard and its
Interagency operability and readiness to
partners and provided for a better maritime law
respond are the focus of the U.S. Coast Guard’s
enforcement port posture.
Area Maritime Security Committee (AMSC) Law
Every other month, the Law Enforcement
Enforcement Group. This group is comprised of
Group meets to discuss upcoming events, training
members from all levels of law enforcement,
opportunities and lessons learned from past operincluding FBI, Coast Guard and Customs and
ations that occurred within each
Border Protection (CBP), the Delaware,
agency’s jurisdiction. At these
New Jersey and Pennsylvania State
meetings, there is also a presentaPolice
and
the
Philadelphia,
tion that is geared towards proWilmington, and Camden Police departmoting interagency operability.
ments, to name a few.
Examples of these presentations
The Law Enforcement Group’s main
include Customs and Border
objective is to answer a very important
Protection special capabilities,
question: How will federal, state and
SEPTA’s radio interoperability
local agencies with different communisystem and Philadelphia Police
cations equipment, with different jurisDepartment’s Homeland Security
dictions and authorities and different
Unit’s radiation detection capabiltechniques and tactics for executing
ities. These meetings often prove
operations, respond together to a major
to be very informative and promaritime law enforcement incident?
mote interagency operability.
The answer is through memorandums of
Recognizing
that
the
agreement, joint training, and meetings.
Philadelphia
port
complex
is
the
The U.S. Coast Guard, as the agency
second largest petrochemical port
with primary responsibility for maritime
law
enforcement,
has
signed U.S. Coast Guard’s Area Maritime Security Committee, Law Enforcement Group in the United States, is the largest
importer of fruit, steel and cocoa
Memorandums of Agreement (MOAs) joint training exercise.
beans on the east coast, is home to
with Customs and Border Protection,
ensure
that
they
are
comfortable
operating
in
the
a
military
outload
terminal and has one third of the
the New Jersey State Police, the Delaware State
Police, the Delaware Natural Resources and maritime environment and are capable of respond- United States population living within a five hour
Environmental Control (DNREC) Police and the ing to an incident. The training included use of drive, the Area Maritime Security Committee’s
City of Wilmington, Delaware Police. These force, tactical boat techniques, and SWAT teams Law Enforcement Group continues to work hard
MOAs allow for these agencies to operate with the clearing ships for unaccounted persons. The at promoting interagency operability and being
Coast Guard and within the Coast Guard’s juris- Coast Guard has also worked with the New Jersey ready to respond if there should be a maritime
dictional areas for special maritime operations to State Police and tested their Remote Operated incident.
Summer, 2007
The Beacon 9
Exchange Participates in Maritime &
Port Security Week in Vancouver, B.C.
As part of Vancouver’s Maritime
and Port Security Week, the British
Columbia Innovation Council, Foreign
Affairs and International Trade
Canada, and the Canadian Consulate in
Philadelphia invited U.S. port security
officials to participate in a two-day
showcase featuring presentations, site
visits, and networking around the subject of port security. Participating
Delaware River port stakeholders
included Exchange President Dennis
Rochford and Charles Kain, Security
Administrator for the Delaware River
Port Authority.
Rochford visited the Vancouver
Port Authority (VPA) on February 15,
where he received a briefing on the
port’s MOL/VTS system and discussed
operational and security issues as well
as emerging technologies that will
improve levels of port security while
sustaining navigational activities.
“The Vancouver Port Authority’s
Marine Operations and Security
Department is responsible for marine
traffic management in conjunction with
the Canadian Coast Guard and Pacific
Pilotage Authority, pollution control
via ship inspections and marine patrols,
navigational/safety advice, and emergency preparedness for the port” said
Rochford. “VPA’s operation somewhat
parallels our own Maritime On-Line
System.”
The trade mission also included
attendance at a Networking Seminar
entitled:
Trends, Challenges and
Solutions in Maritime and Port
Security. The Department of Foreign
Affairs and International Trade Canada
invited U.S. and Canadian port officials to provide an overview of the
challenges they face in improving port
security. Leading British Columbia
port security companies presented
information concerning their technologies and associated results in cost
effective solutions to the challenges.
The Beacon 10
Summer, 2007
AIIS Spring Conference
Comes to Philadelphia
On May 16-17, the Delaware River
maritime community hosted the
American Institute for International
Steel Spring Logistics and Customs
Conference.
More than 100 attendees from
around the country supported this twoday Philadelphia conference, which
included a Customs and Logistics
Seminar focusing on topics such as
“10+2” and CBP automation initiatives, Wood Packing Material ISPM-15
enforcement, TWIC, and a presentation
on The Economic Impact of the
Section 201 Steel Import Restrictions
on the U.S. Marine Transportation
System.
Exchange Director Jack Mallough
of BARTHCO moderated a panel comprised of key port stakeholders including the ILA, SJPC, POW, PMTA, Holt,
DRS, and Kinder Morgan to discuss
the future of Delaware River ports.
Exchange President Dennis Rochford
and Vice President Lisa Himber also
Exchange President, Dennis Rochford (r)
and Wilfried von Bulow, Chairman,
American Institute for International Steel.
participated in the program.
The event featured a golf tournament at the DuPont Country Club in
Wilmington, Delaware and an evening
reception at the Franklin Institute’s
Rooftop Terrace, which included a tour
of the museum’s highly-touted King
Tut Exhibit.
The AIIS Panel on Security addressed key issues such as AEO, TWIC, C-TPAT, and
the upcoming CBP Security Filing (10+2). Panelists included (l-r) Miriam Bishop,
Wilkie Farr & Ghallager LLP; Exchange VP Lisa Himber; John Jurgutis, CBP; and
Larry Hanson, Law Offices of Lawrence W. Hanson, moderator.
Far From Home, Ailing Seafarer
Makes Slow Recovery
Jerome Cabinbin, a Wiper on the
M/V Dole Chile, arrived several weeks
ago in Wilmington with severe stomach distress. The ship’s agent, Kal
Singh from Norton Lilly International
took Mr. Cabinbin to Christiana
Hospital. Forty-eight hours later they
finally had Jerome in a room at the
Wilmington Hospital and Jerome’s
long recovery began.
Once admitted, doctors soon realized that Jerome had a much more serious problem than the gall stones first
suspected. Pneumonia quickly became
a problem and Mr. Cabinbin spent one
week in the hospital’s Intensive Care
Unit.
Seamen’s Center of Wilmington’s
Director, Joan Lyons, visited him daily
and tried to explain each new proce-
dure as it needed to be done. As his
infection became worse, medical staff
realized he desperately needed a PIC
line inserted to better deliver the needed antibiotics. Mrs. Lyons held his
hand through this procedure to assure
him he wasn’t dying. His crew members come back to Wilmington every
two weeks and have visited their friend
and crew mate. Mr. Cabinbin faces six
weeks of the needed antibiotics to treat
infections in his lungs and heart. He
also faces his fears – how to continue
to pay for his two sons’ college education, will he ever be rehired to work
again, and when will he see his family.
There is little any of our readers can
do for Jerome; we ask for your prayers
for his speedy recovery and a safe trip
back home to the family he misses.
Summer, 2007
The Beacon 11
WORLD TRADE CENTER OF GREATER PHILADELPHIA
Opens Doors Around the World AND in Philadelphia
The World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia
(WTCGP), licensed in 2002 by the 280 member World
Trade Center Association in New York, is moving its offices
to Two Penn Center, 1500 John F. Kennedy Boulevard,
Suite 305 in center city Philadelphia before year end.
“We are delighted to have found a site at the center of
our client base, near our sponsors, and in close proximity
to our community of academic and international organizations with whom we work closely. For the last four years
the WTCGP has been hosted within the offices of our
progenitor, the Delaware River Port Authority in Camden,
New Jersey. We are very grateful for their support,” said
Joanna Savvides, President of the WTCGP.
The WTCGP’s success is not simply a question of its
location – its international trade specialists call on approximately 400 companies throughout southeastern
Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey every year. It is,
more importantly, the one-on-one consulting, market
research, market entry strategies, international partner
searches, trade missions and trade shows that the
WTCGP organizes in order to open doors worldwide for
those companies interested in international business. This
has led local small and medium sized companies to international success with over $150 million in reported export
sales over the past four years. It has created increased
profitability and employment for the companies, and
increased economic growth for the region.
The WTCGP is seeking to build greater awareness of
its international business support services through its
move to center city. Among its many programs, it acts as
the Regional Export Network representative for the
Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic
Development’s (DCED) Center for Trade Development
offering access to 18 offices in major markets around the
world.
“I commend the WTCGP on its decision to position
itself in a location downtown where it will have a greater
opportunity to succeed in its commitment to providing
resources for businesses to compete internationally,” said
Joseph Hoeffel, Deputy Secretary, Pennsylvania DCED.
“Governor Rendell is working hard to advance
Pennsylvania’s global competitiveness through programs
like the World Trade PA initiative and with the assistance
Joanna Savvides, President, and James B. Ginty,
Chairman, of the World Trade Center of Greater
Philadelphia discuss international trade issues with
Exchange President Dennis Rochford.
of our partners, like the WTCGP, the state will help
Pennsylvania’s businesses thrive in today’s global market
and become a driving and competitive force in international trade and investment.”
The WTCGP also has programs designed to develop
business opportunities in Latin America and the Eastern
European Emerging Markets. Working with the US
Economic Development Administration it offers international collaboration for specialized industry sectors. The
World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia’s CEO China
Operations Club won the 2006 NASBITE Program
Excellence Award. The NASBITE International award recognizes outstanding and innovative developments in the
area of international trade education, counseling, training,
and research. The Club is designed to allow local companies a forum to exchange information and ideas to improve
their understanding of and efficiency in successfully operating in China. The Club’s activity assists companies in
integrating their China operations and strategy into a more
integral and sophisticated component of their global business.
Additionally, WTCGP offers a series of educational
seminars and conferences to aid business professionals in
understanding the innumerable issues in “going global.”
Among their upcoming 2007 programs is a briefing in
January on business travel safety and security. Their
February 15, 2007 Global Business Outlook conference
entitled “Global Realities of Sourcing, Outsourcing and
Offshoring” will be held in cooperation with Drexel
University’s LeBow College of Business.
Savvides was recently named one of the Philadelphia
Business Journal’s 2006 Women of Distinction and the
Consular Corps of Philadelphia’s 2006 Global Leadership
in Business Award.
About the World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia
A non-profit organization 501c(3), the World Trade
Center of Greater Philadelphia is a licensed and certified
member of the World Trade Centers Association and provides international trade support to businesses in
Southeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey.
This relationship provides WTCGP members access to
innovative WTCA networking programs and World Trade
Centers around the globe. Since its inception in October
2002, the WTCGP annually provides approximately 400
companies in the Greater Philadelphia region with international trade assistance. For more information, please visit
www.wtcphila.org.
HOLLSTEIN KEATING
CATTELL JOHNSON & GOLDSTEIN PC
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware
RECOGNIZED EXPERTS IN MARITIME LAW. THE FIRM PROVIDES
FULL LEGAL SERVICES TO ITS CLIENTS IN ALL ASPECTS OF
MARITIME LAW AND RELATED DISCIPLINES IN FEDERAL AND STATE
COURTS AND BEFORE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCIES. THE FIRM ALSO
PROVIDES SERVICE TO LENDERS AND VESSEL OWNERS IN THE
FIELD OF MARINE FINANCE. SERVING THE PORT MARITIME
COMMUNITY FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
Philadelphia Office
Eight Penn Center - Suite 2000
1628 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 320-3260
Fax: (215) 320-3261
New Jersey Office
Delaware Office
Willow Ridge Executive Office Park
750 Route 73 South - Suite 301
Marlton, NJ 08053
Phone: (856) 810-8860
Fax: (856) 810-8861
Suite 730
1201 North Orange Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Phone: (302) 884-6700
Fax: (302) 573-2507
Visit Us on the Web: www.hollsteinkeating.com
After hours phone numbers: E. Michael Keating, III (856) 577-1086
Edward V. Cattell, Jr. (609) 335-5013
James W. Johnson (609) 238-2232
Stuart M. Goldstein (856) 354-8407
The Beacon 12
Summer, 2007
The Camel That Gets the Job Done
Excerpt from Bill Anderson’s acceptance speech for the “Stephen Girard
Award” bestowed by the Port of Philadelphia Maritime Society.
Good evening ladies and gentlemen, President Russell Larsen and
distinguished guests. It is with great
honor and much humility that I accept
the Stephen Girard award tonight.
This honor, however, is not mine
alone, but also belongs to the men and
women of General Marine Refrigeration that work long and hard to provide the goods and services that the
vessels that call on the ports of the
Delaware River need. The Ports of
Philadelphia are made up of many
unique and a variety of companies,
both large and small; each one an
important link in the chain that moves
cargo in and out of the port. General
Marine Refrigeration is just one of
those unique links. I would like to
think of it as hopefully the coldest link
(or maybe the coolest link) in that
chain.
I am known as a man of few words
and I trust I will not disappoint anyone or tarnish that reputation tonight.
However there is one issue, the most
important and far reaching issue that
has ever faced the Delaware Valley
that I would be remiss if I did not
comment on this evening. The issue
is dredging. Fifteen years ago I
thought it was a no brainer! But I am
preaching to the choir. I would like to
use the thoughts expressed by previous years’ recipients as a springboard
to some comments of my own. Their
comments are still relevant today.
In 1981 (26 years ago), Bill
Harrison received this award. He
humorously and intelligently described the Port like a Camel. He said,
and I quote “Camels are totally graceless, awkward looking, slow, plodding
creatures with humpbacks, long necks
and large cushioned feet. No part
appears to be in sync with any other
part and there probably is a great deal
of truth in the adage that the camel
must have been designed by a committee. However despite his ungainly
appearance, the saving feature of the
camel is that he got the job done.”
The Stephen Girard award was
given to Joe Balzano in 1986. The
hook she hangs. Remember? What a
great reminder we learned that night,
that if the hook she hangs no cargo is
moving . . . if no cargo moves . . . the
vessels will stop coming and if the
vessels stop coming . . . we have no
work and if we have no work . . . we
have no jobs.
Now both of these awardees were
pre the dredging issue. We have been
working or better described as fighting this issue for more than 15 years.
I want to commend and encourage
the work that Captain Mike Linton,
and the Pilots Association, Dennis
Rochford and the Maritime Exchange,
Uwe Schutz and the PMTA in conjunction with the support of Marty
Mascuilli and all the local labor
unions and leaders, Jamie McDermott
and the PRPA and Governor Ed
Rendell and the DRPA and the rest of
us who make up this camel we call the
Ports of the Delaware River for the
work that has been done on this
critical and life threading issue. We
all know this is not an environment or
economical issue, but simply political. New York does not want it and is
scared to death of the competition if
we get it. The point is that the camel
however awkward, slow, plodding or
ungraceful it looks, we must live up to
its reputation and get the job done.
We must continue to work together
and to be relentless and strive tirelessly and unified until THE CHANNEL
IS DEEPENED.
I want to encourage and persuade
all of you to continue the good fight.
We are closer than one might think.
We owe this out of respect to our forefathers who had the vision and foresight to create and then deepen the
channel and pass on to us a strong
healthy camel. More importantly, we
will also be held accountable by the
generations that follow if we do not
provide them with a strong local economy that provides family supporting
jobs. Dredging is not a critical issue .
. . it is the only issue . . .
The task that must be completed is
to deepen the channel. Quite simply
if this is not accomplished the
“camel” will die and the hook she will
hang.
In 1994, the Ports of Philadelphia
Maritime Society bestowed this
award to my father, Gus Anderson. If
I am not mistaken the only other
father/son recipients to the Stephen
Girard award were Robert V. Hudson
(1968) and his son, Samuel T. Hudson
(1976). Dad too was a man of few
words and what he had to say is also
timeless and valid today. Therefore,
in conclusion this evening, I would
like to read to you my father’s acceptance speech in it’s entirely.
Thank you . . . Good Night . . .
and May God bless!
Summer, 2007
The Beacon 13
Port of Philadelphia’s 2006 Cargo Statistics Show Big Gains:
Containers Up 20% & Breakbulk Up 25% Over 2005 Levels
Brian Preski, Esq., Chairman of the
Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PRPA), in
March released the PRPA’s complete year-end cargo statistics for 2006. The statistics, which reflect
cargo activity at all PRPA facilities, showed big
gains in both containerized and breakbulk cargoes
last year, with several individual cargoes showing
particularly dramatic increases. All told, TEU
counts were up over 20% over 2005 levels and
breakbulk was up 25%.
With 247,211 TEUs handled in 2006 compared to the 204,912 TEUs handled in 2005, counts
were up 20.64% over 2005 levels. Measured in
metric tonnage, 1,906,832 metric tons of containerized cargo were handled in 2006, a 13.98%
increase over the 1,672,931 tons handled in 2005.
Port marketing officials point to several new
container services at PRPA’s Packer Avenue
Marine Terminal as reasons for the big increase in
containerized business. In particular, Hamburg
Sud’s “Trident” service, which has strengthened
the port’s connections with Australia and New
Zealand and established direct service between the
Port of Philadelphia and Europe, has been very
successful since its inception in early 2006.
On the breakbulk front, several individual cargoes showed gains, often notable ones. With
1,545,394 tons of steel handled in 2006 compared
to the 999,369 tons handled in 2005, steel was up a
dramatic 54.64%. With 784,777 tons of paper handled at the Port’s Forest Products Center in 2006
compared to the 715,435 handled in 2005, paper
was up a healthy 9.69%. With 10,628 tons of project cargo handled in 2006 compared to the 6,381
tons handled in 2005, project cargo was up
66.56%. 36,160 tons of lumber were handled at the
port in 2006, compared to the 34,858 tons handled
in 2005, a 3.74% increase.
2006 figures for other breakbulk cargoes,
including fruit (108,394 tons handled), cocoa beans
(179,129 tons handled), pulp (26,675 tons handled), and military cargoes (6,664 tons handled)
were consistent with 2005 figures.
Liquid bulk cargoes also showed big gains in
2006. With 628,813 tons of liquid bulk cargoes
moving through PRPA’s liquid bulk pier (Pier 179)
in 2006, compared to the 485,359 tons that moved
through the liquid bulk pier in 2005, liquid bulk
cargoes were up a healthy 29.56.
With all cargoes counted together, 5,295,400
metric tons of containerized and breakbulk cargoes
were handled at PRPA facilities in 2006, a 21.28%
increase over the 4,366,094 tons handled in 2005.
“My message this year is similar to what I said
last year when we released our annual cargo statistics,” said Chairman Preski. “The maritime industry is intensely competitive, yet we’ve once again
managed to hold our own and make some signifi-
cant gains in 2006, both in terms of tonnage and the
quality of our facilities and services. Our current
success, however, only underscores more dramatically the need to get the Delaware River dredged to
45 feet. If we are able to post our current successes
without the deep water we need, one can only
imagine the jobs and economic growth we’ll be
able to contribute to our region once we accomplish our channel-deepening project.
“And for those critics of channel deepening
who say that our current successes demonstrate
that the port doesn’t need deeper water to get
ahead, I respectfully say that those critics don’t
know what they are talking about. Our current statistics and our higher cargo levels are a wake-up
call that ships are getting bigger and more cargo
will be moving through the ports that can handle it.
If we don’t deepen our channel to handle the bigger ships and their dramatically bigger cargoes,
other ports will happily accommodate those vessels.”
The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority is an
independent agency of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania charged with the management, maintenance, marketing and promotion of publicly
owned port facilities along the Delaware River in
Philadelphia, as well as strategic planning throughout the port district. PRPA works with its terminal
operators to modernize, expand, and improve its
facilities, and to market those facilities to prospective port users. Port cargoes and the activities they
generate are responsible for thousands of direct and
indirect jobs in the Philadelphia area and throughout Pennsylvania. PRPA’s 2006 cargo statistics
were compiled by PRPA’s Strategic Planning
Department.
14 The Beacon
Summer, 2007
Editorial
In the interest of security,
time and money, Coast Guard
needs to work more closely
with industry
Congress gave the Department of Homeland Security the authority
to implement a long range vessel tracking system through the Maritime
Transportation Security Act (MTSA) of 2002. After four years and no
progress, the SAFE Port Act signed into law last October required DHS
to implement a long range vessel tracking system by April 1, 2007.
While the Department is committed to working with the International
Maritime Organization (IMO) to establish vessel tracking and reporting
capabilities, reflecting the U.S. leadership in the international maritime
community, under the IMO system, access to information will be limited.
Similarly, under MTSA the Coast Guard has promulgated regulations requiring ships to install and use Automatic Identification
Systems (AIS). Despite the fact that the deadline to meet the regulation has long since passed – and regulated vessels are currently transmitting real-time positions through their AIS systems – the Coast
Guard still does not have sufficient infrastructure in place to receive
this data. Earlier this year, the agency announced the launch of the
$250 million, seven-year National AIS program.
Maritime Exchanges, individually and collectively under the
Maritime Service of North America (MISNA) umbrella, have installed
AIS networks in their regions. As you read in this issue of The Beacon,
our own system has been embraced by both industry and DHS agencies
alike. Under MISNA, Exchanges are sharing AIS data feeds so that
information can be made available for all U.S. ports where Exchanges
are present. We have reached out to port authorities and others in those
ports which do not yet enjoy the benefits of a local Maritime Exchange.
Beyond AIS, though, the MISNA system is entirely unique in that it
has combined both AIS data and long range tracking capability into a
single user interface.
MISNA has on multiple occasions offered to partner with the Coast
Guard to eliminate the need for the Coast Guard to install redundant
systems. Our own Delaware River Congressional delegation has
wholeheartedly supported the private/public partnership concept proposed by MISNA.
Yet for the last four years, the Coast Guard has politely declined this
offer.
Maritime security is not the role of the Department alone. In fact,
DHS goes out of its way to remind us that 85% of the nation’s critical
infrastructure is owned by the private sector and its protection is a
shared responsibility. Even the Coast Guard’s own Strategy for
Maritime Security states that that securing the maritime border requires
“extensive partnerships that integrate and build unity of effort among
governments, agencies, and private-sector stakeholders.”
MISNA’s system is fully operational today. There is no reason DHS
should spend millions of taxpayer dollars unnecessarily and wait another seven years to develop long-range tracking systems or implement
100% AIS coverage. By working with existing non-profit maritime
associations to implement vessel tracking, processing, display and
training capabilities, Coast Guard could focus its money and energies
on filling in the gaps rather than reinventing the entire wheel.
The homeland security of this nation is much too important to wait.
FINALLY ! ! !
Statement released by Exchange President Dennis Rochford on May 17, 2007.
Governors Ed Rendell and Jon Corzine are to be commended for reaching an
agreement to move forward on the Delaware River Main Channel (45’)
Deepening Project. This is an incredibly significant accomplishment that will
propel regional port development and allow all Delaware River port facilities to
competitively attract the emerging class of larger cargo vessels. Because of
growing congestion problems experienced by West Coast ports, the reality today
is that ocean carriers operating in the trans-pacific route are diverting larger cargo vessels through the Suez Canal to East Coast ports. You don’t have to be an
“A” student in Geography to figure out that if you draw a straight line from
Gibraltar to the East Coast of the United States, you arrive at the Delaware
River.
The proposed Philadelphia Regional Port Authority Southport Project, the
new South Jersey Port Corporation general cargo facility planned for Paulsboro,
and the expansion opportunities at the Port of Wilmington validate the economic justification to complete this project and enhance our competitive position
among other East Coast ports. Deepening the main channel to 45 feet will guarantee our fair share of the rapidly expanding global economy – and that means
good paying jobs, jobs and more jobs for our regional economy.
Letters . . .
As a WW II Merchant Marine
Veteran, a graduate of Kings Point, the
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, I am
writing this letter to see if I can interest
your readers in a very important part of
the History of the U.S. Merchant
Marines of World War II.
The Merchant Marine Veterans of
America, Inc. has erected a beautiful
memorial right on the Delaware River
in front of the Battleship New Jersey
and Wiggins Park Marina, seventy five
percent surrounded by the river. It consists of a huge 14-ton solid bronze pro- U.S. Merchant Marine Memorial, Wiggins
peller displayed on an angle depicting Park Marina, Camden, New Jersey.
the last thing that you see as a ship
sinks, going down "Bow First." Supported by donations from the executives of the
maritime industry on both sides of the Delaware River, this is probably one of the
most beautiful displays on the river. Camden County donated the location for this
memorial, and the Camden County Parks Department is maintaining the site. The
dedication was June 11, 2005 with about one thousand guests.
The U.S. Merchant Marines had the largest losses of the war, percentage wise.
Close to ten thousand lives were lost, and eight hundred and sixty five ships were sunk
by enemy action. Pearl Harbor lost 21 ships of which 17 were repaired and put back
in service. Our ships never came back. We were involved in every invasion and in
every war zone during the war. When a ship was sunk, the mariners’ pay stopped, and
it was up to the mariner to find his own way home, if he survived. There were six
hundred POWs.
Though we hold memorial services several times a year at this site, very few know
this story. We appreciate the support of the Delaware River maritime community for
this most important reminder of the contribution of the U.S. Merchant Marine.
Charles Mardigian, Founder
Merchant Marine Veterans of America, Inc.
National Maritime Day - May 22, 2007
The Beacon is the official newsletter of the Maritime Exchange for the Delaware
River and Bay. The Exchange encourages its readers to submit letters to the editor at any
time in response to articles that appear in The Beacon or to address other topics of interest
to the port community. Please direct any correspondence or inquiries regarding
the contents of this newsletter to:
MARITIME EXCHANGE
for the Delaware River and Bay
MARITIME EXCHANGE
for the Delaware River and Bay
240 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
tel: 215-925-2615 fax: 215-925-3422
[email protected] www.maritimedelriv.com
Leading the Way to
Port Progress
Richard DeGennaro, Chairman
John Reynolds, Vice Chairman
Dennis Rochford, President
Lisa B. Himber, Vice President
A. Robert Degen, Esq., Secretary/Solicitor
James F. Young, Esq., Assistant Secretary
Dorothy Mather Ix, Treasurer
Summer, 2007
The Beacon 15
Local Maritime Program is ‘Lifeline’ for Youth
By:
Kera Walter, Co-Vice Chair
Philadelphia City Sail
“It’s hard to believe we have been around for
17 years,” says Diane Gentry, Executive Director
of Philadelphia City Sail, a non-profit organization that utilizes a 75-foot schooner, the North
Wind, to provide maritime education and training
programs for underserved Philadelphia youth. “I
feel like we are such a young organization, but
it’s quite the contrary. We’ve been around quite
a while and we’re pretty good at what we do.”
And what Philadelphia City Sail does best is
mentor at-risk kids who, for one reason or another, participate in their program and develop a
love for sailing. “We provide our students with
an alternative, something most of them have never been exposed to before. Many of them come
from adjudicated youth programs. It’s great to
watch a student, who has never been out of
The North Wind at the Ben Franklin Bridge.
North or West Philly, set foot on our ship for the
first time and set sail.”
Philadelphia City Sail, which operates along
the Delaware River and sails into the
Chesapeake, has quietly been impacting the lives
of middle and high school students with three
separate programs that provide different perspectives on the surrounding ecosystem and levels of
sail training.
“Students have a variety of needs, so we’ve
developed separate programs in order to touch
the most lives we can and then focus in on those
who really need our commitment,” says Gentry.
Last year, City Sail served over 1,800 students,
the majority participating in the SchoolSHIP program. SchoolSHIP provides in-class curriculum
and hands on learning (including a sail on the
North Wind) for middle school students in the
Philadelphia School District system. It has
touched the lives of many underserved students,
but is not City Sail’s most important program,
according to the North Wind Captain, Brett Hart.
“Our real focus, and what I see as the most
critical service we provide, is our summer sail
training and ApprenticeSHIP programs. That is
where kids can really excel and focus their energy into learning a skill that might become a
career, or at least a catalyst for setting goals they
might never have believed they could achieve
before,” says Hart.
The SummerSAIL and ApprenticeSHIP programs are subsidized for low-income, at-risk students and provide on-shore, as well as off-shore
sail training. The ApprenticeSHIP program is
year round, with a focus on more fully developing and mentoring a small group of students and
their interest in maritime arts.
Middle School Students on the North Wind.
Beyond it’s youth programming, City Sail also
partially supports itself by running public sails
and charters on the North Wind. The schooner’s
location, docked behind the Seaport Museum on
Penn’s Landing, is accessible to the public and a
great place to begin a relaxing evening journey
on the Delaware.
And while City Sail has been around for some
time, its goal is always growth and to provide
more valuable experiences for their students.
“We really want to develop stronger partnerships
within the maritime community,” says Gentry.
It’s a natural fit to work with other like-minded
organizations and it would allow us to give our
students even more exposure to the local and
regional opportunities that exists within the
industry. We see formalizing these relationships
as City Sail’s next important big step as an organization.”
For more information, please visit:
www.citysail.org.
Association for the Bay and River Delaware
800 South Columbus Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19147
Continuous Service Since 1896
Dispatching 215-465-8340 (24 Hours)
Accounting 215-465-8362 Fax 215-465-3970
Telex 5101002653
State and Federal Licensed Pilots
Servicing from DE Capes to Trenton, NJ & C&D Canal
The Pilots’ Association for the Bay and River Delaware
Captain Michael J. Linton, President
Active Pilots
Charles W. Futcher, III
I. Randall Kenworthy
C. William Kenworthy
Archie W. Lingo
J. Stuart Griffin
Stephen A. Roberts
Eric C. Quick
James R. Roche
J. Ward Guilday
William D. Glaser
Daniel E. MacElrevey
David A. Potter, Jr.
Charles F. Macintire
W. Christopher Haggerty
James R. Hukill
Howard M. Teal, Jr.
Carl T. Joseph, III
William C. Haggerty
Christopher R. Hooven
Theodore L. Parish
Wayne E. Bailey
Robert W. Bailey, Jr.
Joseph T. Selph
William E. Lowe, III
Bradford F. Schell
Henry E. Hess
Howard B. Wyche
John P. Cuff
Edward A. Davis
Robert K. Cook, III
Patrick C. Beebe
Richard L. Beebe
Gerry H. Orton
Daniel W. Cluff, Jr.
Thomas L. Cluff
William H. Buckaloo
Richard Buckaloo, III
Drew J. Hodgens
Jonathan C. Kemmerley
Chris P. Guilday
Colleen L. Moran
J. David Johnson
Dennis S. Cluff
Patrick G. Conroy
Kelly J. Sparks
R. Douglas Boes
Thomas S. Branin
Stephen J. McGuiness
Joseph E. Morrissey
Michelle Cross
William T. Poulterer III
Thomas M. Sharp
Matthew G. Sullivan
Daniel M. Morgans
Andrew B. Parish
Kevin L. Barrow
Roy C. Pino
Kenneth W. Southard
Robert G. Medd, Jr.
David C.Cluff
Brian A. Wong
Eric C. James
Matthew W Kehoe
Scott A. Landry
Terrell A. Mannion, Jr.
Jonathan Mason
Matthew D. Nemcic
Jennifer E. Linton
Robert W. Bailey, III
Thomas J. Owens
Summer, 2007
The Beacon 16
Upcoming Events
Notes and News
This year Murphy Marine Services, Inc. has been selected to receive the
World Safety Organization’s “Concerned Company/Corporation
Award.” The World Safety Organization was established in 1975 as a thinktank and networking opportunity for safety professionals worldwide. The
award is presented to a company or corporation which is actively, and above
average in, contributing to protection of people, property, resources and the
environment through innovative programs; shows distinctive concern for the
well-being of its employees and local community. Congratulations to
Exchange Director Mark Murphy and his crew!
On March 11 local CBP Client Representative Anne Keller and her husband
Robert welcomed their new arrival Lila Rose, 6 lb. 15 oz. Congratulations on
the birth of your baby girl!
Welcome Aboard
5K Logistics, Inc.
1090 York Road
Warminster, PA 18974
215-674-4820
Fax: 215-674-1293
www.5klogistics.com
William H. Kopke, Jr., Inc.
3000 Marcus Avenue
Suite 3E4-3E5
Lake Success, NY 11042
516-328-6800
Fax: 516-328-6874
Chiquita Fresh Select
Port of Wilmington
101 River Road
Wilmington, DE 19801
302-656-1904
Fax: 302-656-2009
Pro-Fruit Marketing, Inc.
1 Kalisa Way
Suite 211
Paramus, NJ 07652
201-599-0200
Fax: 201-599-9840
J. M. Hughes Co., Ltd.
P.O. Box 736
Richboro, PA 18954
856-456-8989
Fax: 856-456-7916
[email protected]
www.hughessurvey.com
Jac. Vandenberg, Inc.
100 Corporate Boulevard
Yonkers, NY 10701
914-964-5900
Fax: 914-964-5901
6/1/2007
Area Maritime Security Committee Main Meeting
Delaware Sector Bay, One Washington Ave., Philadelphia, PA
6/2/2007
Seamen’s Center of Wilmington Tug Boat Cruise Aboard the SONIE
6/7/2007
Port of Wilmington Maritime Society Mix & Mingle
Kid Shelleen’s, 14th & Scotts Streets, Wilmington, DE
Contact: (302) 656-7000 or [email protected]
Delaware River Port Authority/Port Authority Transit
Corporation Committee Meeting
6/12/2007
Traffic Club of Philadelphia’s Joint Spring Golf Outing
Woodlake Country Club
25 New Hampshire Avenue, Lakewood, NJ
Contact: Nich Walsh (215) 426-2600 or [email protected]
6/13/2007
Maritime Exchange Executive Committee Meeting
World Trade Center Delaware Business Meeting
Topic: Duty Drawback: Determining Eligibility for Duty Refunds
Delaware Biotechnology Institute, 15 Innovation Way, Newark, DE
Contact: Rebecca Faber (302) 656-7905 or [email protected]
6/14/2007
Mariner’s Advisory Committee Meeting
Ristorante LaVeranda, Delaware Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
Contact: James Lombardo or [email protected]
6/15/2007
Philadelphia Regional Port Authority Board Meeting
6/18/2007
World Trade Association of Philadelphia Golf Outing
Little Mill Country Club, Marlton, NJ
Contact: Deborah Ingravallo (856) 642-3957
6/19/2007
Delaware River and Bay Authority Board Meeting
6/20/2007
Delaware River Port Authority/Port Authority Transit
Corporation Board Meeting
7/5/2007
Delaware River Port Authority/Port Authority Transit
Corporation Committee Meeting
7/10/2007
Tri-State Maritime Safety Association Board Meeting
7/11/2007
Maritime Exchange Board Meeting
7/17/2007
Seamen’s Center of Wilmington Board Meeting
Delaware River and Bay Authority Board Meeting
Members on the Move
Atlantic Logistics Agency, Inc.
400 East King Street, Suite 3
Malvern, PA 19355
Phone: 610-651-0153
Fax: 610-651-0259
7/18/2007
Delaware River Port Authority/Port Authority Transit
Corporation Board Meeting
7/20/2007
Area Maritime Security Committee Managing Board Meeting
Philadelphia Regional Port Authority Board Meeting
For a complete schedule and event details
visit the Exchange’s web site: www.maritimedelriv.com