Teeters and Monarch Shipping step up to help survivors of Haiti earthquake
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Teeters Agency & Stevedoring and Monarch Shipping Company continue collecting donations for earthquake survivors in Haiti. Thus far, they've shipped one crate, built by the Port's Facilities team, filled with tarps, nonperishable foods, water and other supplies. The relief goods benefited residents in the Camp Perrin District located north of Les Cayes.
In response to the earthquake, Port of Palm Beach Commissioners approved Executive Director Manuel Almira’s request to waive wharfage charges for relief cargo being shipped to Haiti.
Read news release
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“The people in Haiti are suffering in ways we cannot imagine. Waiving wharfage fees is our way of showing the local Haitian community and the survivors of the earthquake that we will support them anyway we can,” said Board Chairman Joseph Anderson.
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Teeters and Monarch have since partnered up with Palm Beach County Cares, founded by Port of Palm Beach Commissioner Katherine Waldron and former U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic Robin Bernstein. The organization plans to package all the donations on Port property at the Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line warehouse, located the Port's Southgate building, and then ship the goods on Monarch Shipping's vessels.
Palm Beach County Cares has been working with several local elected officials, business owners, nonprofits, chamber representatives and others to come up with a plan on how to successfully transport the donations to Haiti.
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You can drop-off donations M-F 8:30 AM- 4:30 PM at 270 N Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Riviera Beach, FL. 33404 (located right before the Port's main security gate).
View additional donation drop-off sites
The group is also raising $200,000 to fund solar-powered water purification systems that produce 60,000 gallons of drinking water every day.
More info on Palm Beach County Cares
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Port Contractors
Southeast sees
increase in cargo tonnage
Port tenant, Port Contractors Southeast, is having an exceptional year. The company has seen a rise in cargo tonnage with a 42% increase year-to-date.
The company has been steadily working on rebuilding its business following the loss of its largest account a few years ago.
"Our companies ownership and management remained committed to both our team in Palm Beach and the Port of Palm Beach. We believed that the Port was well positioned to attract new business and in our business model, which strives to offer the best value to our customers," said Tony Develli, Vice President, Port Contractors Management Group.
With a management philosophy that focused on excellent service and efficiency gains by removing barriers and added costs, Port Contractors managed to attract customers who would benefit from its business model.
"These customers range in service offerings from the transportation of project cargo, yachts, equipment, and relief supplies to a multi-weekly service to the Bahamas. With this management philosophy, we were able to maintain our business through the early days of the worldwide pandemic and start to see the additional growth that was anticipated as the world adjusted," Develli said.
The company credits its Palm Beach team, customers, suppliers, partners and the Port, for its tremendous growth.
"We will continue to work hard to exceed our customers expectations," Develli said.
Contact Port Contractors
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Port's monthly financials and cargo tonnage reports
The monthly financials and cargo tonnage reports for the month of July are now available on our website.
Read reports
We are currently exceeding 2020’s year-to date cargo tonnage numbers across the board.
General cargo is up 11.5%
Bulk cargo is up 17%
TEUs has slightly increased by 1.2%
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Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line suspends sailings to help in Hurricane Ida response
Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line's Grand Classica is currently in New Orleans after entering into a charter agreement with Louisiana power company Entergy Corporation. Through the agreement, the cruise ship is housing 1,500+ workers as they restore power to the region following the impact of Hurricane Ida.
Hurricane relief efforts and on-the-ground support are not new to Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line. The company deployed Grand Celebration to St. Thomas in 2017, following Hurricane Irma, in a charter by FEMA, housing the National Guard and first responders. In 2019 following Hurricane Dorian, the line conducted numerous humanitarian sailings to Grand Bahama Island, transporting first responders and critical resources including food and medical supplies.
Watch BPCL on CBS12
“As a family-owned and operated company, we are able to be nimble and pivot when needed, in order to help communities in crisis,” said Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line President Kevin Sheehan Jr.
Hurricane relief and humanitarian charters are something we’ve done several times in the past, and we are proud to be able to move quickly to action now in this way, helping facilitate relief for the thousands of people who remain without power across the region. I am sure our customers will continue to be as supportive of our actions as they have always been in the past, when these situations have required us to step up and step in.”
The cruise line plans to remain in New Orleans until at least the end of the month. The cruise line says its been rebooking passengers who were scheduled to sail this month.
BOOK YOUR NEXT CRUISE
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Port kicks off Strategic Master Plan
The Port of Palm Beach Board of Commissioners awarded Moffatt & Nichol a contract for the Port's Strategic Master Plan. Moffatt & Nichol is a highly experienced firm with an excellent reputation of master plan development.
On September 2nd, Port staff held the kickoff meeting with our new consultant. This meeting began the development of the most comprehensive master plan in many years for the port and is considered a “white paper”. By “white paper”, we mean, a start with no preconceived ideas, restrictions or plans. This approach gives the consultant the ability to think “outside of the box” and look at all options that provides a framework for the future of the Port.
The new team consists of key staff members, the primed consultant and their sub consultants.
One of the next steps will be to set up a meeting between Moffat & Nichol, Port Staff, and Port tenants to talk about the path forward and begin the process of collecting ideas, desires and wants from our valued port tenants and users.
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Port's Master Plan consultant donates to
Port of Palm Beach Seafarers' Center
The Port of Palm Beach Seafarers' Center received a generation donation, giving the nonprofit a head start on its holiday initiative called Christmas at Sea.
Last week, Moffatt & Nichol, PSA Group and HDR delivered eight storage containers filled with all sorts of goodies for mariners who will be visiting Port of Palm Beach during the Christmas holiday.
Every year, the Seafarers' Center accumulates all sorts of supplies such as socks, hygiene kits, wholly hats & scarves, treats and much more. They then deliver Christmas gift boxes for each crew member on all the ships visiting the Port.
Last year, the nonprofit delivered gifts to 29 ships, covering close to 500 mariners on board.
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Heavy Lift Services handling thousands of reef modules
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Port tenant Heavy Lift Services is no stranger on handling special project cargo. Throughout the 55 years the company has been operating at the Port, they've managed to successfully transport a military ship, hundreds of palm trees, water pipes and much more. This year, the companies stevedores are handling more than 4,000 artificial reef modules. The units are part of a reef restoration project off the northern coast of Fort Lauderdale.
Watch Video
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Two tenants expand their footprint at the Port
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SSI Petroleum, a family owned and operated company, recently expanded it's office space on the 4th floor of the Maritime Office Complex.
“The team at SSI Petroleum is excited to expand our presence within the Port of Palm Beach. We all enjoy being a part of the Port community and working in close proximity to so many great organizations," said Chief Operating Officer Carlos Arruza Jr.
VIEW SERVICES
The company is a wholesale petroleum distributor of fuels and lubricant's located throughout Central and South Florida. The company has offices at Port of Palm Beach, Belle Glade and Winter haven.
VIEW PRODUCTS
"The Port is a gateway to many international markets and regularly presents us with exciting opportunities to continue to grow our business. We look forward to the future here in the Port of Palm Beach," Arruza said. |
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Southeast Hay Distributors has also expanded its presence at the Port. The company is now leasing office space on the second floor of our Southgate facility.
"Over the course of the past year, we've experienced tremendous growth in revenue," said Alexander Christensen, Southeast Hay Distributors President and CEO.
Christensen says the additional space allows them to accommodate new administrative and operational staff required to sustain the company's growth.
Unlike other businesses, the company managed to thrive during the pandemic.
"We've been courted by reputable manufacturers, navigated new distribution challenges with driver shortages and cut costs in a already hyper-competitive, slim-margined business," Christensen said.
The company has been operating warehouse 4 and a 450 square foot receiving office at Southgate since 2018.
"The Port of Palm Beach is a primary conduit for many nations within the Caribbean and we continue to play a critical role in helping livestock producers receive essential feed and animal health products as quickly and economically as possible," Christensen said.
View Southeast Hay's Products and Services
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Update on Tariff
The Port of Palm Beach held two tariff public hearings on July 27 and August 10. Port tenants got the opportunity to provide feedback on the tariff modifications and revisions.
Port staff is finalizing the proposed tariff that is scheduled to go before the Board of Commissioners in this upcoming September Board Meeting.
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Port Commissioner attends unveiling of local MLK memorialPort of Palm Beach Board of Commission Secretary/ Treasurer Dr. Jean Enright was among several local officials who attended the unveiling of a renovated memorial dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The City of West Palm Beach held a ribbon cutting on August 28th at Currie Park along Flagler Drive.
According to the city's assistant administrator, the monument is the largest in Florida that's dedicated to MLK.
Photo Courtesy: Damon Higgins, Palm Beach Post
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International Coastal Cleanup
Got a few hours to help keep Peanut Island beautiful?
You can participate in this year's International Coastal Cleanup on September 18th at 9 AM.
The Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County is a sponsor of the event and they are looking for volunteers to cleanup Peanut Island.
Bring a towel, sunscreen, a lot of water, and wear some comfortable shoes to walk in.
Volunteers will be kayaking right across the way from the Marina to Peanut Island or you can come by boat (north end) to clean up the trash off the beach.
Stick around at 12 PM for pizza, snacks, & drinks!
Register here
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September Port Employees Work Anniversaries
Congratulations to the following employees who are celebrating work anniversaries:
This month marks 25 years since, Al Fawcett, Deputy Superintendent of Maintenance and Railroad Operations, began his career at the Port.
Congrats Director of Information Systems Richard Laird for 18 years of service.
Executive Assistant Karen Emery has dedicated five years to Port of Palm Beach.
Port Engineer Ron Coddington celebrates two years with the district.
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Job Opportunities The Port of Palm Beach District is looking to fill two vacant positions. - Facilities Worker III/ Switchman
- Security Officer
View job opening and/or apply
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Upcoming Commission MeetingsYou're invited to attend our Board of Commissioners meetings. - September 16
- October 21
- November 18
The public is welcome to attend the in-person board meetings held in our Board Room located on the 6th Floor of the Maritime Office Complex at One East 11th St Riviera Beach, FL. Face masks are strongly ENCOURAGED for all board meeting attendees. View agendas and minutes |
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Check out our new videos on YouTube
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