With all of the challenges facing our ports future and a cost to dredge at $750mm, it seems that perhaps a more vialble alternative would be to build the port offshore for offloading into smaller, faster and more maneuverable ships for delivery up the river. This concept was studied several years ago more from a security and real estate perspective.
Why has this not been looked at as an alternative to dredging?
https://newsline.llnl.gov/_rev02/articles/2010/jul/07.02.10-ports.php
Even if we did do something like that, why do we assume these larger ships will come here instead of larger East Coast ports that surround us and that are already light years ahead when it comes to planning and funding? If we never see a post-panamax in our river, it doesn't mean our port and economy can't continue to prosper.
Panamax ships are certainly not going to go into so many of the places that our port serves like Puerto Rico and VI's.
I'm no shipping rocket scientist, but an offshore port seems rather pointless. Why bother transferring cargo to smaller ships, who then transfer it again to land based trasnportation. Forget the actualy logistics of transferring cargo at sea, the extra step alone wouldn't make it worth the effort if you could just go to another port and transfer directly to land based transportation.
Quote from: thelakelander on June 18, 2013, 11:45:35 AM
Even if we did do something like that, why do we assume these larger ships will come here instead of larger East Coast ports that surround us and that are already light years ahead when it comes to planning and funding? If we never see a post-panamax in our river, it doesn't mean our port and economy can't continue to prosper.
Good point. Seems like the only way this could happen is if the US Goverment forced it nationwide as a matter of homeland security. Or if there was some heavy financial incentive for ships to do so, which I can't seem to fathom. Anyone else?
I'll also add that I've been on two cruise ships that go to offshore ports (Belize and Grand Cayman) and its a pain in the butt logistically.
Quote from: acme54321 on June 18, 2013, 03:05:57 PM
I'm no shipping rocket scientist, but an offshore port seems rather pointless. Why bother transferring cargo to smaller ships, who then transfer it again to land based trasnportation. Forget the actualy logistics of transferring cargo at sea, the extra step alone wouldn't make it worth the effort if you could just go to another port and transfer directly to land based transportation.
actually offshore ports are exactly what is likely to happen...there is talk of building a bulk port in the Bahams to separate the large ships into smaller ships that would make stops up and down the east coast
btw, something similar already happens with the Panama Canal...there is a rail line along the canal and ships often offload portions of their cargo before travelling through