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Friday, September 16, 2005
Board Approves 4 New Container Cranes
NC State Ports Authority moves Port of Wilmington expansion forward with purchase of four container cranes
WILMINGTON, NC – The Port of Wilmington will move its expansion program forward with the purchase of four 100-foot gauge container cranes under a contract approved by the N.C. State Ports Authority Board of Directors. "It is wonderful to reach this point in our growth plans, and it is a particular joy to me to be a part of this most historic time for the North Carolina State Ports Authority,” said Board Chairman, Carl J. Stewart Jr. “The crane contract represents the single largest equipment expenditure ever by the Ports Authority.” Voting unanimously in a meeting in Wilmington Sept. 16, the Board approved award of a $33.2 million contract for the construction of four new cranes to Zhenhua Port Machinery Co. (ZPMC) of Shanghai, China, for delivery in early 2007.
The four 100-foot gauge container cranes will join Wilmington’s four existing container cranes as the linchpin of Wilmington’s five-year container terminal expansion program which will double container handling capacity at the Port’s existing facility.
"The 100-foot gauge cranes, along with the planned purchase of rubber-tire gantries and improvements to the berths, will give Wilmington the capacity to handle larger, world-class vessels,” said Tom Eagar, CEO of the Ports Authority. “Our goal is to bring two additional container lines to Wilmington within the next 12 to 18 months.”
“The $9 million appropriation from the N.C. General Assembly to the Ports Authority has jump-started these unprecedented expansion plans for our State Ports, and we thank Governor Mike Easley and the members of the General Assembly for their support,” Mr. Stewart added. “Our 44.5-percent business growth over the past two years, plus the predicted doubling of international trade and corresponding demand for port capacity, bring us a window of opportunity to bring additional economic benefits, jobs and tax revenues to North Carolina through these improvements to our Ports.” 
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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 Terminal 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 India, China, So. Korea, Venezuela, Brazil, Taiwan, Colombia, Bahamas, Denmark, Trinidad, Indonesia, Italy, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
Primary exports are phosphate, forest products, woodpulp, general merchandise, scrap metal and food products.
Top imports are chemicals, sulfur products, animal feed, cement, general merchandise, metal products, rubber, ore, mica, schist, forest products, scrap metal and furniture.
INFORMATION:
Karen Fox, Vice President of Communications (910)343-6491 (910)520-5745
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