By Karen E. Thuermer, AJOT While the U.S. economy seems stalled on idle, the auto industry has shifted to first gear with forecasts promising a good year for U.S. auto sales and exports. In fact, the prospect of stronger light-vehicle sales in the United States, including exports to Canada and Mexico, is prompting WardsAuto to increase its 2012 North America sales forecast to 14.5 million units and anticipated production to 14.9 million units. WardsAuto’s 2013 forecast predicts production to climb 3.0 percent to 15.4 million units. The international auto news and data publication sees the boost supported by several spot shortages of inventory that auto makers are rushing to fill in the likelihood of stronger export volumes despite economic and political uncertainty in several overseas markets. According to the World Institute for Strategic Economic Research, American-made auto exports were valued at just over $48 billion in 2011, up from about $28 billion in 2009. East Coast Ports Mirror Trend This year U.S. seaports are mirroring the trend as many experience increases in automobile exports. The Port of Baltimore saw an impressive 61 percent increase in automobile exports totaling 391,026 tons from October 2011 to March 2012. Automobile imports increased 14 percent at 324,000 tons during the same period. According to the Maryland Port Administration (MPA), last year its Port of Baltimore handled than 551,000 auto units, the highest in the nation. Total ro/ro tonnage was up 51 percent; auto units increased 12 percent. Similarly, machinery imports and exports, which encompass farm and construction roll-on/roll-off (ro/ro) equipment, also increased impressively. Machinery exports increased 63 percent between October 2011 and March 2012; imports 45 percent for 188,832 tons. Just like last year, the auto export tonnage figures surpassed those of the Port of New York/New Jersey, generally regarded the top U.S. seaport of automobile imports and exports. “This made Baltimore the No. 1 auto port in the United States,” says Richard Scher, MPA spokesman. Helping auto export figures at Baltimore were Japan’s earthquake and tsunami last year. Both the Port of NY/NJ and the Port of Jacksonville (JAXPORT), are highly dependent on imports from Japan. JAXPORT is the nation’s third largest automobile port. Alberto Cabrera, director of Cargo Sales at the Jacksonville Port Authority reports that JAXPORT is seeing an up tick in auto volumes as more cars are being sold to consumer in the United States. “But this is not necessarily because of better economic times,” he adds. “Dealer/manufacturer incentives, and the fact that folks have held off on buying new vehicles for the last few years, are helping. Like any other piece of equipment, they have a useful time span that is coming to an end.” Baltimore, by contrast, does a strong business in exports, particularly for Chrysler — and in imports by German manufacturer Mercedes-Benz. Boosting MPA import figures is the fact BMW started shipping about a fifth of all of its cars to the United States through the Port of Baltimore in 2010. BMW has a five-year agreement with MPA to ship about 50,000 vehicles annually through the port’s Fairfield and Masonville Marine auto terminals. Many are destined to Midwestern markets. Impacting ro/ro figures is the fact Atlantic Container Line (ACL) introduced weekly ro/ro service from the United States to Canada, Russia, and Finland in February. Also helping the port’s auto business is the port’s “white glove treatment” program, which the port implemented for auto-related customers. This program involves regular meetings with members of the auto supply chain with the aim of improving performance. According to MPA, about 270,700 cars crossed Baltimore’s docks from January through June, up 30,000 vehicles from last year. Overall cargo shipments increased 13 percent, to 4.5 million tons, during the six-month period, the agency said. The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) marked a record m