. Coast watch. Marine resources; Oceanography; Coastal zone management; Coastal ecology. Photo by Clay Nolen. Hogsheads of tobacco are loaded onto a ship at Morehead City State ports inching into the black It took a controversy over a $ million 40-ton container crane to get the North Carolina ports in the headlines. That's the most North Carolinians had heard about their state ports at Wilmington and Morehead City, which have in the past been among the least-used ports on the eastern seaboard. But that picture could be changing. Wilmington and Morehead City soon may be as high on the lists
. Coast watch. Marine resources; Oceanography; Coastal zone management; Coastal ecology. Photo by Clay Nolen. Hogsheads of tobacco are loaded onto a ship at Morehead City State ports inching into the black It took a controversy over a $ million 40-ton container crane to get the North Carolina ports in the headlines. That's the most North Carolinians had heard about their state ports at Wilmington and Morehead City, which have in the past been among the least-used ports on the eastern seaboard. But that picture could be changing. Wilmington and Morehead City soon may be as high on the lists of import- ers and exporters as the port cities of Charleston, Norfolk and Savannah are now. According to North Carolina State Ports Authority (SPA) officials, Morehead City and Wilmington are fast becoming major ports along the east coast. In the 1978-79 fiscal year, the two ports showed the largest profit in the 27-year operation of the ports author- ity, says Bill Stover, the SPA director of communication. Total net profit was $563,214, up from a $152,000 deficit last year and a 220 percent increase over the previous best year. The Wilmington profits for 1978-79 were $776,272, while Morehead City again recorded a deficit of $202,295. The deficit was reduced two-thirds from the previous year, and SPA of- ficials believe this year that port will break even. Officials also note that the ports are no longer requiring a $150,- 000 supplement from the General Assembly to operate. But Gov. James B. Hunt Jr. said at a July SPA meeting that if the ports are to continue to grow they must receive better support from industry within the state. "Statewide, we are developing special marketing efforts to convince more of our industries that are now shipping out of our state to ship through the ports within this state," he said. A poor east-west highway system in the state has hurt port development, Stover says. "Many Piedmont in- dustries have found it quicker and sometimes
Size: 1467px × 1703px
Photo credit: © The Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookcollectionunclibra, booksubjectoceanography
