Study of Connecticut ports sees no need to built a container terminal

A CONNECTICUT port study says modest improvement can be made to increase trade through the deep-water ports of Bridgeport, New Haven and New London, but also said there remains a lack of basic capacity to support a container terminal at present.

The report by infrastructure advisor Moffatt & Nichol outlines four areas of business to invest in of liquid bulk and related energy use, and shipyard/ship repair services at all three deep water ports. It also highlighted development in services for dry bulk and breakbulk cargoes at New Haven and New London. Both Bridgeport and New London could benefit from private ferry services.

Most significantly, the report flagged up the lack of capacity in both landside and waterside to accommodate the larger vessel or cope with intermodal volumes with longer trains and heavier trucks.

Connecticut ports have suffered declines in commodities such as coal and fresh fruit imports at Bridgeport and at all lumber, steel and building materials demand has lagged following the real estate market collapse.

The report advises that to right import volume declines of nearly 80 per cent since 2006 it needs to "identify local and niche cargo markets appropriate to one or more of its deep water ports".

Niche areas identified were: scrap metal exports from New Haven; wood pellet exports from New London; break bulk lumber, copper, and steel imports to New Haven or New London and fresh food imports to New Haven and New London.