Quonset’s Port of Davisville is North America’s 5th Largest Auto Importer
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March 16, 2009 | Print this page | Share This |
Cracking the Top 5, Davisville Now Larger Importer than Baltimore, L.A. and Savannah
Quonset’s Port of Davisville now ranks as the fifth busiest auto importer in North America, according to new statistics compiled by PIERS Maritime Research Services and the Quonset Development Corporation (QDC).
The PIERS data, which analyzed the top 37 auto importers on the continent for the time period November 2007 to October 2008, found that the Port of Davisville has now surpassed ports in Baltimore, Los Angeles, Vancouver, and Savannah, among others.
“This new ranking is great news for Rhode Island and Quonset,” said J. Michael Saul, Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Interim Executive Director and Chairman of the QDC Board. “The growing auto import business at the Port has already created new jobs at the waterfront and we anticipate further increases.”
The news follows a string of successes for Quonset, which has seen 2,400 new jobs in the Business Park in the last four years. In the same timeframe, there has been $170 million in private investment at Quonset, with another $126 million in the pipeline. Quonset based auto importer North Atlantic Distribution (NORAD) employs 300 people, having added over 50 new jobs in the last three months.
The move into the Top 5 comes as the Port of Davisville continues to grow its auto import business. The most recent expansion, which is not reflected in the PIERS data, came in the fourth quarter of 2008 when VW moved its auto import business from Wilmington, Delaware to Quonset. NORAD receives Subarus, Audis, VWs and Bentleys from Emden, Germany, as well as Kawasaki, Japan and Veracruz, Mexico. It is on pace to import 125,000 cars in 2009.
The Port of New York and New Jersey is North America’s Number One auto importer, according to the PIERS data, with almost 219,000 autos in the 2007/2008 data. Portland, OR ranked second followed by Jacksonville and San Diego. The Port of Davisville figure for the same timeframe was 91,000 autos. Each year approximately 1,370,000 cars are imported to North America.
Recent rail and highway improvements, along with competitive tariffs, dockage and wharfage fees at the Port of Davisville positioned the Port of Davisville for the recent growth, said Steven J. King, Managing Director QDC.
“The Business Park’s internal rail improvements coupled with the freight rail improvement project now mean that autos can travel farther triple decked via rail,” King added. “The rail and the newly completed direct highway access via Route 403 provide support for continued growth, and additional job creation at the Port.”
ABOUT THE QUONSET DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
The Quonset Development Corporation (QDC) is a special purpose subsidiary of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, a quasi public company, responsible for the development and management of the 3000+ acre Quonset Business Park. QDC develops and manages the Quonset Business Park in accordance with the QDC Master Plan and in the best interests of the citizens of Rhode Island to attract and retain successful businesses that provide high quality jobs. For more information go to www.qdcri.com.
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