Houston boxes up, repays Maersk US$1.5 million for clean fuel use

THE Port of Houston Authority has authorised use of nearly $1.5 million from the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance programme to reimburse Maersk Line for clean fuel use.

Port Authority CEO Alec Dreyer also reported that import container movement has increased 18 per cent in March, with loaded containers showing 10 per cent and empties going up 42 per cent.

Port commissioners approved the use of EPA funds to reimburse Maersk Line for the differential cost of lower emissions fuel on the shipping line's vessels calling at Port Authority piers, said a port authority statement.

Last November, Maersk Line and EPA's Office of International Affairs conducted a fuel switching demonstration project using this fuel on commercial cargo vessels at Houston's port and two other ports in Mexico.

Mr Dreyer said an economic recovery was underway. "March continued to evidence an improving economic situation and more signs are beginning to point towards a more 'V-like' recovery rather than an elongated 'U' recovery, which had been our prevailing assumption," he said.

Laden container for this year were split 67 per cent export and 33 per cent import, while empties - one-third of the total volume - were split 87 per cent import and 13 per cent export.

"As a result, we're seeing growth in empties at our facilities - pre-positioning for export - which guides us to continue to be bullish on the economic recovery," Mr Dreyer said. "Overall, our TEUs were split 51 per cent export and 49 per cent import year to date through March."

(Source: www.schednet.com)