It should come as no surprise, but I am a HUGE proponent of the East Coast ports.  I have long held that they are closer to the population, and with the widening of the Panama Canal are extremely well positioned for future growth.

Well, in a recent white paper, Drewry Supply Chain Advisors lays out some fundamental reasons why East Coast (EC) and Gulf Coast (GC) ports will continue to steal business away from the West Coast ports.  Even if volumes remain the same, the EC and GC ports will continue to grow.  And this is not a short term phenomena.  Drewry sees these changes as “structural and long term”.

“Even if growth continues as strongly as it has in recent years, any new trade will probably pass the West Coast by.”

The East Coast ports continue to be extremely well positioned to handle the future growth the the new Panama Canal will enable.  Come to think of it, maybe the Panama Canal authority should be on my Christmas list as well…