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Ports Primer: 6.3 Potential Community Interests

Link to Home Page of Ports Primer for Communities   Link to Section 2, The Role of Ports   Link to Section 3, How Ports Work   Link to Section 4, Port-Community Relations   Link to Section 5.0, Land Use and Transportation   Link to Section 6, Local and Regional Economy   Link to Section 7, Environmental Impacts   Link to Section 8, Tools and Resources   Link to Section 9, Appendix   Link to Glossary for Ports Primer   Link to Endnotes for Ports Primer

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Community interests in the impact of ports on the local and regional economy may include:

Post-Panamax Shipping

" "Many ports are facing pressure to expand their capacity to accommodate post-Panamax ships. This can impact near-port communities in a variety of ways including:

  • New jobs created by port expansion and upgrades.
  • Competing land use needs as ports seek room to expand.
  • Environmental impacts related to construction and dredging.
  • Increased shipping activity at the port.
  • Loading and unloading larger vessels will require more trucks and rail usage, which could affect air emissions positively or negatively depending the technology used and related factors.

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Labor and Working Conditions

Working conditions and wages at ports and port-related industries can impact the economic stability of workers and their families.Graphic representation of labor and working conditions

 

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Jobs and Job Training Programs

Ports and port-related industries create jobs. Some ports have local hiring standards or agreements that reserve a percentage of jobs for residents of near-port communities. These ports may offer job training for residents who qualify." "


 

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Impacts on Goods Movement

" "Economic shifts in cargo traffic at ports can have ripple effects on other transportation sectors. As the traffic within these sectors rises and falls in response to port needs, near-port communities may be impacted by:

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