January 21 - Fuelled by a surge in shipments of grain and heavy lift equipment, the Port of Albany handled a record 94 ships and barges in 2014, surpassing the 60 that visited the gateway in 2013.
According to an Albany Port District Commission report, overall cargo tonnage climbed to more than 572,000 tonnes, compared with just over 390,000 tonne in 2013.
The amount of heavy lift and project cargo handled shot up to 32,600 tonnes, compared with the 19,100 tonnes handled in 2013. Project cargo exports grew 70 percent year-on-year, while imports increased by 77 percent.
According to reports in local media, the port's general manager Rich Hendrick put the surge in heavy lift cargo down to a major shipment of electrical generation equipment by GE for a project in Algeria, as well as to Siemens Energy, which imported equipment for a project in Pennsylvania.
