Page 38: of Maritime Logistics Professional Magazine (Nov/Dec 2017)

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Featured Port ety of container shipping companies to the Wilmington lineup. the return of intermodal rail to North Carolina Ports.

In June, the inaugural port call of the ZIM Shanghai marked the “The Queen City Express provides premier rail service over fourth new container service activated at the Port of Wilmington competing ports for existing and future container customers in in the last two months. With that event, North Carolina Ports had one of the most signifcant economic centers in the Southeastern doubled its container services in calendar year 2017 and is set for United States,” said Cozza. “In addition, further establishing our unprecedented growth in its next fscal year. ZIM added Wilming- inland terminal helps answer the request of many cargo owners ton to its Z7S all-water Asia-U.S. East Coast service rotation. This asking for improved connectivity to international markets.” weekly service provides access to major markets all over Asia. Beyond this, CSX will also provide future access to another “This ZIM service will support legacy apparel, furniture and intermodal rail terminal in Eastern North Carolina – the Caro- hardware industries throughout the Carolinas,” said Paul Coz- lina Connector. The Carolina Connector (CCX) will serve as za, NC Ports Executive Director. Chief commercial Offcer a key transportation hub in the Southeast for containerized

Greg Fennell added, “We’ve made a steadfast commitment to freight. CCX along with the Queen City Express will lower better serve the Carolinas. With four major container service transportation costs for businesses while taking trucks off the activations in the last two months, we are preparing for record road, thus reducing emissions. For the Port of Wilmington, throughput in Wilmington.” increased volume doesn’t necessarily bring more congestion.

Separately, Maersk Line and Mediterranean Shipping Com- In November, Crowley Maritime’s announcement that it will pany (MSC) introduced the TA2/NEUATL2 Europe-U.S. East begin offering weekly shipping and logistics services between

Coast container service in early May, providing access be- Wilmington, Guatemala and Honduras served notice that a new tween Bremerhaven, Felixstowe, Le Harve and Wilmington. lift-on/lift-off (LO/LO) service would provide customers an ad-

A new partnership with THE Alliance was the addition of the ditional, more northwardly Atlantic Coast destination for cargo

EC2 all-water Asia-U.S. East Coast container service. This entering the U.S. from Central America, ultimately adding fex- weekly service began calling on the Port of Wilmington, also ibility to the supply chain while reducing total landed costs.

in May. StreamLines, a division of Seatrade, known for its Crowley, a longtime player in the Central American and specialized refrigerated container operations, recently added Caribbean trades, gives foreign fruit and produce providers a the Port of Wilmington to its Blue Stream weekly service and new port of entry for their climate sensitive cargoes access to began calling the port in June. the U.S.-based frm’s suite of logistics services for cargo of all

The good news continued in July. Since any port is only as types and sizes.

good as the intermodal connections that stretch beyond its gates Finally, and integral to all of the incremental additions to into the hinterlands, North Carolina Ports and CSX commenced Wilmington’s capacity and port options, North Carolina Ports a daily, intermodal rail service between Wilmington and Char- announced this month the implementation of both Phase One lotte. This double stacked train, the Queen City Express, marks and Two to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Southeast

In-Transit Cold Treatment Pilot program. This will allow more direct imports of produce from across the Americas – and other countries in the Cold

Treatment Program – including 38 Maritime Logistics Professional November/December 2017 | |