Two new container services help Wilmington’s performance

The prolonged and deep economic recession, however, continued to erode general cargo tonnage volumes at Wilmington and the Port of Morehead City, with lumber, woodpulp, rubber and cement recording the largest declines.

“In addition to securing the new container lines, the Ports Authority’s work this year with the CKYH Alliance allowed the shipping lines to realise significant inland transportation cost savings by rerouting cargo through Wilmington that is destined for North Carolina, away from ports to the north and south,” said Thomas Eagar, CEO, NC State Ports Authority.

General cargo volumes for fiscal year 2009 at North Carolina’s Ports fell 8% over fiscal year 2008, continuing the downward trend first seen in early 2007 with the softening of the housing market. The declines in general cargo commodities largely account for the Authority’s fiscal 2009 year end loss of US$4.3m.