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56 Journal of Commerce | J anuar y 2, 2023 www.joc.com EXECUTIVE COMMENTARY ANNUAL REVIEW & OUTLOOK 2023 Maritime In terms of lasting changes, the past few years have focused all eyes on building resiliency and capacity in container supply chains to with - stand future unknowns. Yet from our vantage point at the port authority, the equation has not changed much. The container growth story continues, perhaps slightly accelerated, and our chal - lenge and opportunity today — as it was pre-pandemic — is creating the capacity needed to meet it and to provide a resilient supply chain. As we talk about restoring sup - ply chains and building resiliency into them, we continue to hear from the port's major customers: "Everything starts with container capacity." We couldn't agree more — and we are intent on delivering that. Prince Rupert Port Authority Shaun Stevenson President and CEO rupertport.com As the indus- try works to improve the reliability of supply chains, there are tremendous strides being undertaken to safeguard against today's volatility and build system resiliency for the future. At the Port of Prince Rupert, this means a focus on planning and development of an integrated, intermodal ecosystem enabled by strategic capital invest - ment in infrastructure to anchor resiliency to create value and advan- tage for its customers. This year served as a pivotal year for the Port of Prince Rupert in laying the foundation for growing this shipper-centric intermodal gate- way. Major infrastructure projects were completed in 2022, including DP World Prince Rupert's Fairview Container Terminal expansion increasing capacity to 1.6 million TEU, and the Prince Rupert Port Authority's Fairview–Ridley Con - nector Corridor, which created two new rail sidings and a 5 km private transportation corridor dedicated to increase Canada's west coast con- tainer capacity by one-third. We are hopeful for government approval of that project in the coming months. Additionally, since before 2015, we have been advancing the Centerm Expansion Project and South Shore Access Project in partnership with DP World, which will increase the terminal capacity to 1.5 million TEU. Despite the challenges of construc - tion through the pandemic, the project is on track to be substantially complete by the end of this year. The past two and a half years have affirmed and added urgency to our focus on delivering more con- tainer capacity. Through this period, the Port of Vancouver, like all ports, has felt the impact of strained sup- ply chains in the face of a sustained surge in consumer demand. In the Vancouver area, global challenges were exacerbated by local chal- lenges, including wildfires and severe flooding in 2021 that cut us off from Canada's supply chains for eight days with full connectivity not restored for another nine days. More recently, we have seen at-capacity warehouses in the east slowing cargo movement at the port. new options. They may not want to, but based on our experience, ship- pers that are initially doubtful about change are often the most enthusi- astic of new alternatives once they try them. Beneficial cargo owners unwilling to seriously consider change risk change being forced upon them. Port of Vancouver Robin Silvester CEO portvancouver.com As the federal agency tasked with enabling trade through the Port of Vancouver, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority has long been focused on building capacity to meet growing container trade needs at Canada's largest port. For more than a decade, we have been leading the proposed Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project, a new 2.4 million TEU terminal that would Port Tampa Bay Paul Anderson President & CEO porttb.com While the container and breakbulk shipping sectors have experienced a roller-coaster ride over the past few years, ports that have seen strong market demand — and invested in capacity to stay ahead of the curve — have certainly enjoyed the ride. Strong population growth has fueled demand for consumer goods, e-commerce, food and beverage products, and construction and building materials. Diversification of supply chains and nearshoring to Mexico and Central America are creating new opportu - nities. Shippers are demanding more direct services to those ports closest to their distribution centers, minimizing drayage costs, while generating environ- mental benefits by reducing truck miles traveled, as well as emissions and idling time. Florida provides the perfect snapshot of these trends, with strong population growth — the state is now home to 22 million residents that make it the third-largest state. This, com - bined with a red-hot tourism sector welcoming over 130 million visitors per year, results in one of the most dynamic markets in the country. The Tampa Bay/I-4 Corridor — Florida's dis - tribution hub — is home to the largest concentration of DCs in the state, with Port Tampa Bay perfectly positioned as the closest port to serve this market. Truckers now do three to four round- trip deliveries per day from Port Tampa Bay to these DCs, which then serve the entire state of Florida and reach into markets throughout the Southeast and beyond. To keep pace with the rapid growth, the port has been busy expanding terminal capacity with additional paved storage, extended berths, cranes and equipment, and new transload warehouse facilities. "Diversification of supply chains and nearshoring to Mexico and Central America are creating new opportunities." ◀ "The past few years have focused all eyes on building resiliency and capacity in container supply chains to withstand future unknowns." Robin Silvester ▶ "There are tremendous strides being undertaken to safeguard against today's volatility and build system resiliency for the future." Shaun Stevenson