Port of Redwood City Business Up 9 Percent

The Port of Redwood City is moving into the future, representatives are saying.

The Port announced Tuesday that business during the first half of fiscal year 2012-13 is up 9 percent over the same period last year. At the same time, imports from certain countries appear to be increasing at an even higher rate.

Total tonnage for all commodities moving across Port of Redwood City docks during the first half of fiscal year 2012-13 was 666,543 metric tons (MT), an increase of nine percent over the prior fiscal year.

"Imported sand and aggregates from British Columbia accounted for 444,060 MT, or nearly 67 percent of the tonnage for the first half of the fiscal year," said Mike Giari, executive director of the Port of Redwood City. "This was more than a 20 percent increase in the amount from the same period last fiscal year."

Shipments of bauxite and gypsum from Australia and Mexico, although not large tonnages, also added to the mix of inbound cargo, Giari said.

The one area that showed a decrease appears to have been in scrap metal, the Port said in a statement.

"Due to a weak international market for scrap metal, exports of shredded scrap metal during the first half of [the fiscal year] totaled 132,009 MT, nearly 25 percent below the same period last fiscal year," the statement indicated.

On another positive note, 38 vessels - 24 ships and 14 barges - made calls during the first half of the fiscal year compared to 30 vessels, or 25 ships and 5 barges, during the first half of last year.

Another area of excitement for the port over the past few months was when a new bulk ship, the MV Rt. Hon. Paul E. Martin, made its first voyage into the Redwood City Port in November. The Paul E. Martin employs the latest in new technology, as a self-unloading bulk ship.

Construction and renovation is also moving along nicely at the Port. The reconstruction of Wharves One and Two and the adjacent areas that support these wharves has been underway for a few months.

Construction of a new, seismically designed, concrete wharf, measuring 425 feet long by 70 feet wide, is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

City representatives say the new wharves and other improvements will enable the Port to better serve its existing and projected customer base while remaining flexible enough to respond to changing market conditions.

Also on RedwoodCity-Woodside Patch:

• Dragon Theatre to Celebrate Grand Opening in Downtown Friday
• Update on Downtown Construction & Parking
• '201 Marshall' Will Feature 116 Apartments Designed for Commuters
• Crews Start Work on Bridge to Inner Bair Island

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