Contact: Wes Irvin Tel.: (202) 366-5807

A steady growth in the average size of vessels calling at U.S. ports and continued rapid increase in double-hull tanker calls are among the highlights of a new report released today by the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD).

In Vessel Calls at U.S. Ports, 2003, MARAD notes that while the number of vessel calls at U.S. ports in 2003 is only slightly greater than it was in 1999, the average size of vessels has increased by 10 percent during the period.

As evidence of the smooth transition to double-hull tankers mandated by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, 64 percent of the tanker calls at U.S. ports in 2003 were by double hull tankers, up from 40 percent four years earlier. For the period 1999 to 2003, double-hull tanker calls increased by 72 percent.

L.A./Long Beach, Houston and New York were cited as the largest ports in terms of calls, accounting for 27 percent of all vessel calls at U.S. ports. In 2003, the top 10 (of 133) ports accounted for 58 percent of total U.S. calls.

The report provides five years of data (1999 to 2003) on calls, size and capacity of vessels calling at U.S. ports by major vessel types, and is the third in the series. While the new report uses highlight and summary tables to present highly aggregated data, additional information regarding calls and capacity serving all U.S. ports may be found on the MARAD website at www.marad.dot.gov/marad_statistics.

The report is available in print or CD-ROM formats, or it may be downloaded from the MARAD website. Inquiries should be directed to MARAD's Office of Statistical & Economic Analysis, 400 Seventh Street, SW, room 8107, Washington, DC 20590, Telephone: (202) 366-2267, FAX: (202) 366-8886, E-mail: data.marad@marad.dot.gov.