JULY 2026 American Journal of Transportation American Journal of Transportation 23 (BOOM – continued from page 21) Florida’s growing season as distinct from other US produce windows. In addition, Florida grower groups are seeking the implementation of spe- cialized Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs) that, during Florida’s winter season, would allow a certain number of Mexican imports to enter duty-free. Once imports exceed the quota, tariffs kick in. The idea is not to eliminate imports but to prevent import vol- umes from overwhelming the domes- tic market during the Florida season. “Our growers find it impossible to understand why this country would allow them to be sacrificed under (PRODUCE – continued from page 22) Chicago market. “We haven’t had that kind of investment in the port since it opened in 1970,” Jody Peacock, Ports of Indiana Commission’s CEO, told a recent Innovate Northwest Indiana luncheon. Peacock says the Ports of Indiana has just scratched the surface in terms of container potential. “For instance, we’ve determined that Ireland is the largest importer into Indiana – larger than Canada, which ranks second, and China which is third, combined – and yet none of that cargo from Ireland is arriving through our ports.” With only 20% of its activities related to maritime cargo, the Ports of Indiana Commission has not been as affected by the market uncertainties caused by tariffs to the same extent as other port authorities. “However, we’re very sensitive to how these fluc- tuations in trade are affecting the 100 customers at our three ports and the impacts on their businesses, employ- ees and their families,” Peacock adds. “Diversification is essential to a successful future,” Peacock adds. “We’ve used our abilities to double our assets and port business over the past five years through public fund- ing and public/private joint ventures through which we can expand quickly even though we’re not a big team.” In early May, Ports of Indiana was awarded a $25-million federal “BUILD” grant from the U.S. Depart- ment of Transportation to support a $32-million expansion of its Jef- fersonville port. The expansion will double the facility’s general cargo footprint and increase the port’s lift capacity from 35 to 300 tons. Alongside these key investments, quick responses to customer needs and out-of-the-box thinking have been key strategies. A recent example is the new federally approved bonded stor- age facility at its Mount Vernon port to handle a rush aluminum shipment. “When our customer said the storage was needed within eight weeks, our first reaction was to say ‘impossible,’ but then we did it in six weeks,” Pea- cock recalls. The joint venture that the Ports of Indiana struck with the general cargo stevedoring company Superior River Terminals-Indiana in October 2024 is another example. “We didn’t have an operator at our general cargo dock, so we took the risk off Superior River in (PIVOT – continued from page 14) Port of Brownsville announces Saronic Technologies partnership Continuing its storied shipbuild- ing tradition, the Port of Browns- ville today welcomed Governor Greg Abbott’s announcement that Saronic Technologies has selected the port as the home of Port Alpha, a $3.2 billion next-generation shipyard expected to create more than 10,000 direct jobs in the region. Port Alpha represents one of the largest economic development proj- ects in the history of the Rio Grande Valley and the State of Texas and rein- forces the port’s long-standing role in America’s shipbuilding industry. In addition to the thousands of direct jobs created, the shipyard is expected to generate more than $160 billion in regional economic impact for Cameron County and $264.5 bil- lion for the State of Texas. Port Alpha will encompass 835 acres, with construction slated to begin in 2026 allowing the project to expand in step with production demand. Port Alpha expected to open for operations in 2028. At full build-out, the develop- ment is expected to expand to nearly 4,400 acres, and will include a ship- yard and manufacturing facility capa- ble of producing vessels up to 850 ft. Future site expansion could support the production of vessels over 1,200 ft. The site provides hundreds of acres of waterfront access, deepwa- ter channel connectivity, multimodal logistics infrastructure, and room for long-term expansion - everything required to anchor a next-generation shipbuilding hub. Among the positions will be spe- cialized roles such as welders, engi- neers and advanced manufacturing technicians. Port leadership welcomed the announcement, lauding the trans- formative impact for the region. “As the only deepwater seaport on the US-Mexico border, the Port of Brownsville has long been a strate- gic hub for industry and shipbuilding. We are proud to welcome Saronic Technologies, and the transformative opportunities Port Alpha will bring to our region,” said Brownsville Navi- gation District Chairman Sergio Tito Lopez. “I thank Governor Abbott for his leadership and recognize the collaboration of Cameron County, the Greater Brownsville Economic Development Corporation and Point Isabel Independent School District in helping make this project possi- ble. Saronic’s decision to invest in Brownsville reflects the strength of our community, our workforce, and our shared commitment to advancing American manufacturing.” BND Vice Chairman Ernesto Guti- errez echoed that sentiment, emphasiz- ing the project’s global impact. “Reaching this milestone took care- ful groundwork, and the payoff extends far beyond the Rio Grande Valley. This is a project with global reach. Creating strong career opportunities for local families is the defining mission of the Port of Brownsville,” said Gutierrez. “Saronic’s arrival will generate more than 10,000 jobs for our workforce. We’re proud to welcome Saronic to Brownsville and eager to work together for the benefit of our region.” For BND Secretary John Reed, the partnership carries strategic sig- nificance beyond job creation. “What we’re announcing today reflects strategic economic planning. Teaming up with Saronic allows us to strengthen national defense capabilities while growing a highly skilled manufactur- ing workforce right here in Browns- ville,” said Reed. “It’s a privilege to have Saronic join our community, and we’re ready to get moving on what comes next.” The Port of Brownsville’s ship- building legacy spans more than 50 years beginning with Mara- thon LeTourneau’s shipyard in the early 1970s, continuing through Keppel AmFELS’ more than three decades as the region’s premier shipbuilder, and carrying forward through Seatrium before the facili- ty’s 2025 transition to Karpowership. yet reflect improving fundamentals. In some markets, replacement rents exceed in-place rents. Developers require sufficient rent levels to justify construction costs and execution risks. When a gap exists between market rents and required rents, projects are delayed and new starts remain muted.” In July, A.P. Moller-Maersk, one of the top three largest containership operators in the world, announced the August opening of a new $100 mil- lion 617,000 sq/ft fulfillment hub in Hopedale Massachusetts — a small suburb located 40 miles from Boston. In a sense, with one of the largest players in global logistics, building a large-scale fulfillment facility in a high-priced location, demonstrates the boom has already started. forming the new Indiana River & Rail Terminals which allowed this business to really take off,” Peacock shares. “What started off with a single ware- house and crane two years ago now has seven buildings at two ports and is one of our largest revenue producers because of our creative thinking in terms of public/ private business partnerships.” In May the Ports of Indiana also celebrated the groundbreaking of Consolidated Grain and Barge Com- pany’s $47-million expansion at Ports of Indiana-Mount Vernon. The proj- ect set to open in mid-2027 will triple CGB’s soybean processing operations from the current 50 million bushels yearly, as well as expand storage and truck unloading at the Ohio River facility. “One of our largest custom- ers, CBG had reached a point where its management wasn’t considering future investments in our ports, but we worked through some issues to reinvigorate this partnership,” Pea- cock says. It’s those kinds of conversations that have led to companies investing $127 million in 11 new port proj- ects. They include the Louis Drey- fus Company spending $18 million to take over, revitalize and reopen a grain export terminal at Burns Harbor. Meanwhile, Voestalpine Roll Form- ing Corporation is spending $77.9 million on an expansion of its roll- foam metal facility in Jeffersonville to supply aerospace, construction and other industries. “With our public funding and own investments to improve facilities, including the new four-lane highway bridge that will open this November to double ocean cargo capacity, we’re proving to customers that we’re com- mitted to growing their business,” Peacock says. to prevent third countries from using the USMCA to ship steel, produced outside North America, “through the back door,” as several steel executives have maintained. “The United States did not agree to renew the USMCA in its current form,” US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in statement last week. But, he added, the US will continue to engage with Mexico and Canada to address the agreement’s shortcomings and US trade deficits with both partners, Greer said. The US will meet with Mexico the week of July 20 for a third round of bilateral negotiations related to the USMCA joint review. NAFTA and then would allow the problem to compound under USMCA. They are hopeful, however, that under our country’s renewed commitment to America First trade principles, our government will right this wrong,” Joyner said. “At this late hour, our country cannot right the wrong by pursuing advisory committees or mea- sures that do nothing to curb imports. To stem our decline, we urgently need the Administration to establish prod- uct-specific seasonal TRQs that will effectively limit imports of Mexi- can produce, especially strawberries, blueberries, bell peppers, squash, cucumbers, watermelon, sweet corn, and lettuce.” “Without these measures, Ameri- can consumers may soon be forced to rely entirely on foreign-sourced fresh produce during several months of the year. Compromising our country’s core nutritional needs in this manner jeopardizes America’s food security and, by extension, our national secu- rity. We therefore ask the Adminis- tration to take all steps necessary to achieve these TRQ measures during the Joint Review.” “The Florida produce industry shares the Administration’s concern that skyrocketing imports of off- shore agriculture pose a grave risk for US-grown production. Years of surging Mexican produce ship- ments during Florida’s season prove the extent of that risk and the urgent need for corrective measures,” Joyner said. “TRQs are not unusual in trade policy. Countries around the world use tariff-rate quotas for import-sen- sitive products, and the United States already applies TRQs in several agri- cultural sectors, including beef, dairy, and sugar. FFVA’s proposal is a tar- geted, seasonal and product-specific approach to restore balance during Florida’s harvest season while still allowing trade to continue.” At an April Congressional hearing on the issue, in response to questions from Buchanan, US Trade Represen- tative Jamieson Greer acknowledged that Florida winter fruits and vegeta- bles are in a precarious position. He did not make any commitments to the industry’s ask. “We have spoken about this issue before, about season- ality. Obviously, we want to import fruits and vegetables ... in seasons when we don’t make them,” Greer said. “And that’s fine, but there are seasons when we do make them, and we need to make sure that there’s not unfair import competition during that period. We want to protect our farm- ers who make these specialty crops in Florida and elsewhere.” (EVENT – continued from page 22)
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