Albany Area Port Imports Climb to 15-Year High
Imports last year continued to gain steam at Albany area ports, climbing to a 15-year high. In 2017, area ports registered imports with a vessel shipping weight totaling 1.3 million kilograms, up 6.2 percent from 2016 and up 94 percent from five years earlier. The ports’ total imported shipping weight last year was the highest it has been since 2003, according to a Center for Economic Growth analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s USA Trade Online tool.
The increase in import activity at the Albany area ports, which include the Port of Albany and Port of Coeymans, largely offset a decline in export activity. Area port exports in 2017 fell to 241 million kilograms – a 10-year low. These changes in import and export activity came amid major developments at the Port of Albany last summer, such as construction on a new roll-on and roll-off barge slip and on a climate-controlled warehouse for turbines, generators and other heavy cargo.
Port Import Growth
Driving the growth in imports were salt (up 95.7 percent or 248.7 million kilograms), aluminum ores and concentrates (up 1,682.7 percent or 111.3 million kilograms), gypsum; anhydrite (up 27.9 percent or 27.8 million kilograms), and super-heated water boilers and steam generation boiler parts (up 109.1 percent or 10.8 million kilograms). Additionally, area port imports arriving in van-like containers also climbed to 141 million kilograms – the highest in more than 15 years. Gypsum, granulated slag, super-heated water boilers and steam generation boiler parts were among the heaviest goods imported in these containerized vessels.
Among world regions, Africa accounted for the largest year-over increase in Albany area port imports: up by 139.4 million kilograms. Next was South/Central America, which was up over the year by 36.5 million kilograms, and Asia, up by 27.4 million.
CEG and the Ports
CEG is engaged in the following activities to bolster imports and exports in the Capital Region:
Exportech: A CEG Business Growth Solutions (BGS) program that provides manufacturers with a step-by-step system for expanding into new markets, adding customers and driving profitable growth.
Tech Valley Global Business Network (TVGBN): A collaboration between CEG, the Capital Region Chamber and the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County that provides companies with educational, coaching and networking programs for entering into or expanding in international markets.
Global NY: This is the state’s one-stop shopping center for New York businesses looking to enter foreign markets, providing them with loan and grant opportunities, export marketing assistance services and State Trade Expansion Program (SET) funding.
For more information about Exportech, contact BGS Business Development Director Louise Aitcheson at louisea@ceg.org or 518-465-8975 x 229.
Don’t miss these insights into the trends that are shaping the Capital Region’s economy. Sign up for CEG’s e-news and follow us on:
