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Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Morehead City: New Warehouse Opens
Ribbon cutting marks official opening of Port of Morehead City's new 177,000-square foot warehouse
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MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. – The Port of Morehead City's new 177,000-square foot warehouse officially opened for business with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 24. Carl J. Stewart Jr., chairman of the NC State Ports Authority Board of Directors, served as master of ceremonies, and Newport Mayor Derryl Garner, a member of the Board of Directors since 2002, was keynote speaker. Also on hand were state Sen. Jean Preston, Ports Authority CEO Tom Eagar, Rex Edwards, director of business development and port operations at the Port of Morehead City, and Jeff Sheehan, senior vice president of Duke Realty Group. Duke Realty built the warehouse under a leaseback arrangement with the Ports Authority. The new warehouse is designed to the highest specifications for the highest-value commodities: paper, steel and lumber. A load of fencing lumber has already been handled through it, and a load of lumber arriving Friday represents new business to the Port, made possible by this new warehouse. The Port of Morehead City serves as a gateway to world markets for North Carolina business and industry. Products handled include phosphate fertilizers exported by PCS Phosphate of Aurora, lumber for construction and retail sale, natural rubber used for tire manufacturing at the Bridgestone Firestone plant in Wilson and the Goodyear plant in Fayetteville, scrap metal for the Nucor Steel plant in Hertford County, colemanite used in fiberglass, and military equipment to support our national defense efforts. The Port of Morehead City is the second largest port in the country for natural rubber imports. Cargo handling activities at the Port of Morehead City support nearly 13,000 jobs statewide and generate $49 million annually in local and state tax revenues. The Ports Authority employs 75 people in Morehead City, with an annual payroll of about $3.5 million. More than 1,000 additional jobs are directly related to Port activities here. Related businesses and service providers such as the International Longshoremen’s Association, harbor pilots, tug companies, shipping agents, stevedores, surveyors and marine equipment suppliers provide an estimated 250 additional jobs.
ABOUT THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE PORTS AUTHORITY:
North Carolina's Ports in Wilmington and Morehead City, plus inland terminals in Charlotte and the Piedmont Triad in Greensboro, link the State's consumers, businesses and industry to world markets, and serve as magnets to attract new business and industry. Port activities contribute statewide to 85,000 jobs and $299 million each year in state and local tax revenues. The proposed NC International Port in Brunswick County and Port expansion projects in Morehead City and Wilmington will make North Carolina a key player in international trade, and multiply related jobs and economic impact in the state.
Top trading partners are China, Venezuela, Colombia, India, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Korea, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and Turkey.
Primary exports include fertilizer, woodpulp, forest products, general merchandise, food, chemicals and metal products.
Top imports include forest products, chemicals, natural rubber, cement, scrap metal, steel, coal and general merchandise.
INFORMATION:
Karen Fox, Director of Communications (910) 343-6491 1-800-334-0682 Email
Susan Clizbe, Communications Manager (910) 343-6482 (910) 367-3559 Email
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