VACCINE DISTRIBUTION BUILDS BRIGHT SPOTS
COMMENT: Amidst a continuing flow of bad news about COVID-19 in the maritime business, with mariners stuck aboard vessels, bright spots have emerged along the East, West and Gulf coasts, in the U.S. ports, writes Barry Parker.
HOME DEPOT TAKES TO THE WATER
COMMENT: The debate in Washington, D.C. over “infrastructure”- however you define it, is continuing, writes Barry Parker.
NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL
COMMENT: USA infrastructure has endured yet another crisis, with the outage of the Colonial Pipeline, a major artery for moving refined products from refineries (in the US Gulf Coast) to consumers in the Southeast and mid-Atlantic, writes Barry Parker.
PORT BRAGGING RIGHTS
Well, truth be told, for a while I stopped writing about “Infrastructure” bills from Washington, DC after an almost handful of failed efforts. This time, it may be different, but I am not holding my breath, writes Barry Parker.
PORTS: GREAT ENGINES OF GROWTH
COMMENT: Yes, this column’s name refers to a place up north, but, like many native New Yorkers, I spend time in the “Sixth Borough”- otherwise known as Florida, writes Barry Parker.
NEW ADMINISTRATION, NEW ‘SUPER-CYCLE’
COMMENT: All along the East Coast, the talk is all about off shore wind, writes Barry Parker.
PORTS: A FRONT ROW SEAT
COMMENT: I must confess, over the past four years, I got a little tired of writing about the huge breakthrough “Infrastructure” investment initiatives which, as all boats rise with the tide, would benefit ports throughout the USA, writes Barry Parker.
REDUCING THE CARBON INTENSITY
COMMENT: Ships calling at ports are subject to international regulations drawn up by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), with headquarters on the River Thames but with 170+ member states, and a nearly equal number of hangers-on. Obviously, the IMO’s actions will impact ports directly - think about waste or ballast ...
THE R-WORD, RESILIENCY
COMMENT: Around New York, we’ve seen huge sea changes since the beginning of 2020, along with the rest of the maritime world, writes Barry Parker.
GREEN WINS IN RED AND BLUE RACE
COMMENT: All eyes are on the U.S. Presidential election, being held on November 3rd, writes Barry Parker.
STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE
COMMENT: In the commercial shipping realm, one of the major disappointments (dare I say “scandal?”) tied to the COVID-19 pandemic has been the difficulties in the movement of seafarers, brought on by a maze of travel restrictions and bureaucratic impediments, writes Barry Parker.
POST-PANDEMIC – “NEW NORMAL” OBSERVATIONS
COMMENT: The late and great baseball player/philosopher Yogi Berra once opined, “It’s very difficult to predict what might happen….especially in the future," writes Barry Parker.
REPUTATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
COMMENT: When describing shipping matters, clichés such as “best of times/ worst of times” are abounding at present, writes Barry Parker.
COVID-19 – THE NEW YORK ANGLE
COMMENT: Worldwide supply chains, and the ports that go with them, have been completely overtaken by the Coronavirus, COVID-19 issue, writes Barry Parker.
THE I-WORD – AN ECONOMIC FILLIP?
COMMENT: Yes, we have heard it before. Investment in infrastructure (the “I-word”) was a centerpiece of President Trump’s campaign four years ago; it also figured in peace-making overtures between Democrats (led by House speaker Nancy Pelosi) and the party of Trump, the Republicans, during the various political feuds of ...
