Why Are Any U.S. Ports Owned or Operated by Foreign Corporations or Governments? (2024)

There are plenty of good, non-jingoist, reasons to oppose the sale of 6 US ports to a corporation controlled by the government of the United Arab Emirates. But the bigger question is: why are US ports and other strategic infrastructure being privatized, particularly to companies owned by foreign governments?

Before the UAE controversy erupted, most Americans probably did not know that many US ports are already owned or run by private corporations, some of which are owned by foreign governments. According to the New York Times, foreign-based companies own and/or manage over 30% of US port terminals. According to Time Magazine, over 80% of the terminals in the Port of Los Angeles are run by foreign-owned companies, including the government of Singapore. In fact, APL Limited, controlled by the Singapore government, operates ports in Los Angeles, Oakland, Seattle and Dutch Harbor, Alaska. Chinese government-owned companies control terminals in the Port of Los Angeles and other West Coast ports, as well as both ends of the Panama Canal.

You don't have to be an economic nationalist to think that certain strategic infrastructure should not be owned by foreign companies, particularly those owned by foreign governments. Ports certainly fit into that category. Other examples include airports, railroads, and nuclear power plants. If we're going to sell off strategic facilities to foreign companies and governments, why not sell off the FAA, the Nuclear Regulatory Agency, or the New York City Police? (I'm sure some Saudi or Chinese security personnel know how to crack heads better than New York's finest.)

Senators Clinton and Menendez have announced that they are introducing legislation to prohibit companies owned or controlled by foreign governments from purchasing port operations in the United States. But they should go one step further. Profit-making corporations, foreign or domestic, should not be allowed to own key strategic infrastructure. Corporation's responsibility is to their shareholders, not to the nation. If there's a conflict between security and profits, profits will come first. Strategic infrastructure should be owned and controlled by institutions that put the interests of the American people above profits. This could take the form of government ownership, or more likely ownership by non-profit joint government/private entities.

In the end, the issue comes down to the Bush Administration's ideology of privatizing everything from social security to port ownership.

The Democrats, if they're not too timid, should expand congressional hearings on the UAE deal to include the larger issues of port security and the ownership and control of America's strategic infrastructure. They should make clear that while Bush may sacrifice constitutional liberties in the name of national security, he will sacrifice national security to further the interests of the global business elite.

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Why Are Any U.S. Ports Owned or Operated by Foreign Corporations or Governments? (2024)

FAQs

Are US ports foreign owned? ›

Most major U.S. ports are publicly owned by a “port authority,” which is a public organization associated with a city, county, regional, or state government. A port typically contains many terminals that are each designed to handle different types of cargo.

Are ports owned by the government? ›

The port authority is entirely privatized, with almost all the port functions under private control, with the public sector retaining a standard regulatory oversight. Still, public entities can be shareholders and thus gear the port towards strategies that are deemed to be of public interest.

Who controls the ports in the United States? ›

The U.S. Constitution grants the federal government jurisdiction over the navigable waters of the United States. Eighteen federal departments and agencies have a role in governance. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and the Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have the primary delegated authority.

Does China own all the ports in America? ›

Neither PRC firm wholly owns or directly operates an American terminal. In contrast to the strategic strongpoint approach to develop- ing dual-use port facilities in the Indian Ocean, Chinese port investment in the United States appears to be commercially driven.

Which port is owned by China? ›

State-owned China Ocean Shipping Company, better known as Cosco, owns minority stakes in the Antwerp and Zeebrugge ports on the North Sea coast, a fact that Lahbib said she was uncomfortable with.

Who owns the port of Seattle? ›

The Northwest Seaport Alliance is a port authority based in the Puget Sound region of the United States, comprising the seaports of Seattle and Tacoma in Washington state.
...
Northwest Seaport Alliance.
FormationAugust 4, 2015
ServicesMaritime trade
CEOJohn Wolfe
Parent organizationPort of Seattle, Port of Tacoma
Revenue (2017)$195 million
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Why are ports privatized? ›

Port privatization has been motivated primarily by the expected economic benefit to be derived from improved efficiency and performance and also by the political desire to reduce the government's long-term financial and administrative responsi- bility for what is an extremely expensive industry to support.

Who owns the port of New York? ›

The Port is owned by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey and was established in 1921 to protect, promote and improve the Port between the two states.

Who owns the port of Alaska? ›

Port of Alaska is a Municipality of Anchorage owned facility that serves all of Alaska and the nation.

Why is port state controlled? ›

Port State Control (PSC) is the inspection of foreign ships in national ports to verify that the condition of the ship and its equipment comply with the requirements of international regulations and that the ship is manned and operated in compliance with these instruments and ensure maritime safety and security and ...

Who owns the Los Angeles port? ›

The Port of Los Angeles is a department of the City of Los Angeles (also known as the Los Angeles Harbor Department) and is governed by the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners, a panel appointed by the Mayor of Los Angeles. Although the Port is a City department, it is not supported by City taxes.

Is Wal Mart owned by the Chinese? ›

No, Walmart is not owned by China, nor has it been sold to a Chinese investment group. According to USA TODAY fact check, a claim that Walmart had been sold to a Chinese firm was proven false. On Jan. 2 2021, a Facebook post claimed a Chinese business group bought out America's largest retailer.

Who owns Port of San Francisco? ›

The newly created Harbor Commission of the City and County of San Francisco assumed responsibility and control. Eventually this commission was renamed, yet again, Port Commission of the City and County of San Francisco and the Port of San Francisco to this day.

Who owns the port of Houston? ›

Port of Houston
Operated byPort of Houston Authority
Owned byCity of Houston
Type of harbourArtificial / natural
Number of cargo container terminals2
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Why does China own ports? ›

With roughly 80 percent of global trade moving by sea, tapping into maritime shipping networks has been central to China's strategy of export-led economic development. To facilitate the flow of goods in and out of the country, China has developed some of the world's largest and busiest ports.

Who owns the most ports in the world? ›

Who owns the most ports in the world? A powerhouse in global trade, China has more shipping ports at home than any other country. Key investments add about another 100 ports in at least 60 nations.

Who owns the Port of Texas City? ›

The Port of Texas City is privately owned by Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway and is the largest privately-owned port in the country. It was founded in 1893 as a harbor and rail operation.

Why is the Seattle Port so backed up? ›

Also piling up are empty containers. Before the pandemic, imports and exports were balanced. TVs and furniture came in, agricultural products went out. But during the pandemic, Washington state is importing far more than it's exporting, so empty containers are piling up on this side of the ocean.

Who owns the Port of Boston? ›

Government of Massachusetts

Can ports be privately owned? ›

California Ports Vary in Size and Types of Goods Handled. California has a total of 12 ports. Eleven of these are publicly owned, and one—the Port of Benicia—is privately owned. These ports process about 40 percent of all containerized imports and 30 percent of all exports in the United States.

Can open ports be exploited? ›

Open ports become dangerous when legitimate services are exploited through security vulnerabilities or malicious services are introduced to a system via malware or social engineering, cybercriminals can use these services in conjunction with open ports to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data.

How do ports make profit? ›

What is the Port's business model—how does it generate revenue? Included in the Port's sources of revenue are leases of various Port properties and buildings, marine terminals, services associated with grain terminal & break-bulk docks and the Kalama marina.

How many U.S. ports are owned by China? ›

Which U.S. ports are owned by China? Chinese state-owned enterprises hold ownership stakes in terminals at five U.S. ports. COSCO has established joint ventures at Long Beach, Los Angeles, and Seattle, and CMPort holds a minority stake in a French firm's terminals at Miami and Houston.

Who owns the port of Philadelphia? ›

Pennsylvania

Who bought New York Island? ›

He sailed to North America and arrived in the colony on May 4, 1626. Minuit is credited with purchasing the island of Manhattan from Native Americans in exchange for traded goods valued at 60 guilders.

Is port of Seattle a private company? ›

The Port of Seattle is a public municipal corporation that owns and manages Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the region's largest airport; a leading container port (since 2015 operated jointly with the Port of Tacoma's maritime-cargo operations in the Northwest Seaport Alliance); Fishermen's Terminal, home to the ...

Who owns the port of New Orleans? ›

Operated by P&O Ports of Louisiana, the Port of New Orleans's Henry Clay Avenue Wharf is located on the east bank of the Mississippi River.

Who owned Alaska before it was sold to the US? ›

Introduction. On March 30, 1867, the United States reached an agreement to purchase Alaska from Russia for a price of $7.2 million. The Treaty with Russia was negotiated and signed by Secretary of State William Seward and Russian Minister to the United States Edouard de Stoeckl.

How are ports regulated? ›

The majority of port operations are administered by statutory harbour authorities, who are each governed by their own legislation tailored to the needs of each port. The Docks and Harbour Act 1972, places statutory responsibility on the harbour master to ensure navigation and safety within the harbour limits.

Are there other regulatory bodies for port state control around the world? ›

Yes, they do. Various IMO conventions like SOLAS, Marpol, STCW defines the role of port state control in ensuring the implementation of these conventions.

Who created port state control? ›

The Port State Control (PSC) concept was introduced by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) through its International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978 (STCW Convention).

Who controls the Port of Long Beach? ›

The Port of Long Beach is governed by the City of Long Beach. The City Charter created the Long Beach Harbor Department to promote and develop the port. Under the charter, the five-member Board of Harbor Commissioners is responsible for setting policy for the port and managing the Harbor Department.

Who owns San Diego Port? ›

San Diego Unified Port District

Who owns the Port of Baltimore? ›

Maryland Port Administration

Who owns the other 49% of Walmart? ›

Who Owns The Other 50% Of Walmart? The other half of Walmart not owned by the Walton family is owned by investment companies, holding groups, and individual shareholders. The second largest shareholder of Walmart stock is the Vanguard Group, one of the largest investment companies in the world.

Why is Walmart not successful in China? ›

Walmart achieved success in the US with cheaper prices, while western brands are usually perceived as high-quality in China, which caused a contradiction that Walmart found challenging to adjust in the Chinese market for years.

Who is the largest shareholder of Walmart? ›

Top 10 Owners of Walmart Inc
StockholderStakeShares owned
The Vanguard Group, Inc.4.63%124,978,796
BlackRock Fund Advisors2.39%64,362,165
SSgA Funds Management, Inc.2.25%60,630,374
Geode Capital Management LLC0.92%24,855,493
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Does China own any ports in California? ›

Chinese state-owned enterprises hold ownership stakes in terminals at five U.S. ports. COSCO has established joint ventures at Long Beach, Los Angeles, and Seattle, and CMPort holds a minority stake in a French firm's terminals at Miami and Houston.

Who owns the port of Key West? ›

Key West City

Who owns Port Tampa Bay? ›

Port Tampa Bay, known as the Port of Tampa until January 2014, is the largest port in the state of Florida and is overseen by the Tampa Port Authority, a Hillsborough County agency.

Who owns the ports in New York? ›

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, (PANYNJ; stylized, in logo since 2020, as Port Authority NY NJ) is a joint venture between the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, established in 1921 through an interstate compact authorized by the United States Congress.

Who owns a private port? ›

In fully privatized ports, port land is privately owned, unlike the situation in other port management models. This requires the transfer of ownership of such land from the public to the private sector.

Who owns the port of Savannah Georgia? ›

Port of Savannah
Owned byGeorgia Ports Authority
Type of harbourriver natural
Draft depthDepth 47 feet (14 m)
Air draft185 feet, restricted by Talmadge Memorial Bridge
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Does the U.S. own any container ships? ›

Today, there are 115 self-propelled, U.S.-flag ships engaged in the U.S. foreign commerce. This fleet is composed of 5 tankers, 11 dry bulk, 28 roll-on/roll-off vessels, 61 container ships, and 10 multipurpose ships. All of these ships participate in the Federal Government's cargo preference program.

Who owns New York Harbor? ›

The commercial activity of the port of New York City, including the waterfronts of the five boroughs and nearby cities in New Jersey, since 1921 has been formalized under a single bi-state Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Who owns the Philadelphia port? ›

Port of Philadelphia
LocationPhiladelphia
Details
Operated byPhiladelphia Regional Port Authority
Owned byPennsylvania
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Who owns the ports in Ukraine? ›

Sea ports. All the ports of Ukraine are managed by the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority. In 2022, the majority of these ports were effectively closed to international ship traffic due to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and Russian naval blockade of the Black Sea.

Who owns the port of Virginia? ›

The Virginia Port Authority's operations are provided by Virginia International Terminals, LLC (VIT), a single-member limited liability company wholly owned by the Virginia Port Authority (VPA).

Who owns San Diego ports? ›

San Diego Unified Port District

Why does the U.S. have so many empty shipping containers? ›

Aftereffects of COVID-19

Some unluckier companies that could not take the strain were forced to close shop. The pandemic placed added strain on the supply chain industry as a whole. This includes increased consumer demand which has led to the shipping container global shortage that is going on today.

Does China own all shipping containers? ›

Effectively all standard containers used in global shipping are made by Chinese state-owned enterprises.

Who owns the majority of shipping containers? ›

If you are using a shipping container it probably came from one of two places, it is either owned by a shipping line or owned by a container leasing company, a very small percentage of shipping containers are also owned by the shipper. The only indication of ownership is the writing on the side of the container.

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