Request for Public Comment on the Causes of Diversion of Cargo from U.S. East Coast Ports

Résumé

On July 24, 1996, as part of a plan to help sustain long-term growth of the Port of New York/New Jersey, the Department of Transportation announced its intention to study the causes of cargo diversion from U.S. East Coast ports (i.e., the transhipment of U.S. waterborne imports and exports through nearby foreign ports) and to recommend any additional measures that are needed to enhance the international competitiveness of our East Coast ports. Information is requested on the impact of the following domestic and foreign factors affecting the diversion of cargo from U.S. East Coast ports: shipper and carrier routing preferences; shifting international trade patterns; constraints on the U.S. transportation infrastructure; federal, state and local laws and regulations; port charges and other transportation-related fees; ``Global Alliances'' of ocean carriers and their impact on port calls and port rotations; landside and waterside interface problems and intermodal factors; aggressive port marketing initiatives; direct and indirect subsidies for port and intermodal infrastructure; and any other factors that impact on the flow of cargo through U.S. East Coast ports. Data on the volume, v