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Wednesday, 20 January 2010 21:22 |
Planning for Future Shipments Directly into Port-au-Prince
(JACKSONVILLE, Fla.; Jan. 20, 2010) Crowley Maritime Corporation, working under contract with the U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), is unloading Haiti relief cargo in Rio Haina, Dominican Republic today. Fifty six of the 68 20-foot containers of water and meals-ready-to-eat (MREs) will be trucked across the border into Haiti.
The remaining 12 loads aboard the container ship Macajama will be transported by water to Port-au-Prince, Haiti and be offloaded in an experimental lightering operation and delivered across a beach on Friday. If successful, future shipments could be made directly to Port-au-Prince.
The Crowley plan calls for the Macajama to anchor offshore near the port's damaged south pier and near the exposed beach. Using a shipboard crane on the Macajama, the 12 remaining containers would be lowered onto a smaller vessel operated by G and G Shipping and delivered across the beach on wheels.
A team from Crowley's TITAN Salvage subsidiary surveyed the port area Monday and determined that such an operation was possible. They also determined that it would be possible to establish a temporary docking structure on the beach using a Crowley 400-foot-long by 100-foot-wide flat deck barge. Crowley is mobilizing such a barge (the 410) and a crane from Orange, Texas that could be used for cargo discharge, and plans to have both on the scene in Port-au-Prince on, or about, Feb. 2.
Crowley has extensive experience designing solutions to complex challenges, and has delivered a multitude of large production modules, equipment and supplies across beaches for energy companies in the Russian Far East, Alaska's North Slope and West Africa.
A new wave of Haiti relief supplies in approximately 100 20-foot containers is being loaded today at Crowley's Port Everglades facility on the Roll On / Roll Off ship Crowley Americas and will be transported to Rio Haina for delivery on Saturday. Those containers, also moving under contract with USTRANSCOM, were consolidated and stuffed at Crowley's Miami warehouse. They will be trucked across the border into Haiti.
The Macajama is scheduled to return to Port Everglades over the weekend and load more relief cargo, which could be delivered directly to Port-au-Prince next week, if the test lightering operation is successful Friday.
As announced last Wednesday, Crowley has suspended indefinitely its regularly scheduled commercial cargo services to and from Haiti. The situation in Haiti remains unstable and Crowley's priority remains getting relief supplies to the people impacted by the devastating earthquake. Crowley continues to offer its twice weekly service to and from the Dominican Republic.
Those wishing to contribute humanitarian supplies to Haiti's relief effort should do so by contacting non-profit organizations such as Food for the Poor or Catholic Relief Services.
Jacksonville-based Crowley Holdings Inc., a holding company of the 118-year-old Crowley Maritime Corporation, is a privately held family and employee-owned company. The company provides diversified transportation and logistics services in domestic and international markets by means of six operating lines of business: Puerto Rico/Caribbean Liner Services, Latin America Liner Services, Logistics Services, Petroleum Services, Marine Services and Technical Services. Offered within these operating lines of business are the following services: liner container shipping, logistics, contract towing and transportation; ship assist and escort; energy support; salvage and emergency response through its TITAN Salvage subsidiary; vessel management; vessel construction and naval architecture through its Jensen Maritime subsidiary; government services, and petroleum and chemical transportation, distribution and sales. Additional information about Crowley, its subsidiaries and business units may be found on the Internet at www.crowley.com.
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Tuesday, 19 January 2010 00:48 |
| SEATTLE, January 18, 2010 - As recovery efforts in the wake of Haiti's devastating earthquake continue, tugs and barges from two Seattle-based companies are in the U.S. Gulf poised to participate in the vast international relief operation.America Cargo Transport Corp. (ACTC), a wholly owned Foss subsidiary, and Foss Maritime Company are preparing to carry approximately 6,000 tons of food aid cargo to the Haitian capital of Port Au Prince for USAID, according to company sources. Initial efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to the stricken island nation have slowed because of severe damage to the port and transportation infrastructure in Port Au Prince.ACTC has routinely carried food aid cargo for USAID and USDA to Port Au Prince before the earthquake and specializes in handling the complex logistics of moving high, wide and heavy cargo for private companies, governments and the military. ACTC has well documented experience in marine transport and cargo operations during emergency situations and in difficult environments. The company was the first US Flag carrier to deliver large volume US food aid shipments for the US Government to the victims of the 2004 Indonesia Tsunami, and the first US Flag operator to enter into Umm Qasr, Iraq in 2005 after the beginning of OIF (Operation Iraqi Freedom). ACTC still serves Iraq and just recently completed its 158th voyage into that country. "Our first concern is for the well being of all Haitians and in assisting in the relief effort," said John Tirpak, president of ACTC. "We know from initial reports that people are without many of the essentials - clean water, food, medicines and shelter. "Even though facilities in Port Au Prince have suffered extensive damage, we will be able to successfully deliver supplies to help ease some of the shortage. We are committed to marshal all available resources to help assist the international relief effort."ACTC's deck barge, the American Trader and the Justine Foss, a 4,000 horsepower ocean going tug, will move the needed supplies from the Gulf of Mexico to Haiti in the coming days.Executives at both ACTC and Foss urge citizens to consider contributing money or goods to the Haitian relief effort, including such organizations as the American Red Cross or World Vision. | |
| About America Cargo TransportAmerica Cargo Transport provides international cargo delivery and full-service cargo logistics. ACT serves commercial, government and military markets, delivering cargo in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, the Persian Gulf, East and West Africa. ACT is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Foss Maritime Company. See www.amerct.com for more information. |
| About Foss Maritime CompanyFounded in 1889, Seattle-based Foss Maritime offers a complete range of maritime services and project management to customers across the Pacific Rim, Europe, South America and around the globe. The company has harbor services and transportation operations in all major U.S. West Coast ports, including the Columbia and Snake River system. With one of the largest fleets of tugs and barges on the American West Coast, Foss operates two shipyards and offers worldwide marine transportation, emphasizing safety, environmental responsibility and high-quality service. See www.foss.com for more information. | | |
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