Quonset Business Park's Port of Davisville begins exporting

The Quonset Business Park marked an important strategic milestone this March with the initiation of a pilot program for the export of used truck tractors through Quonset's Port of Davisville. The Port is already one of the top importers of autos in the country and this dedicated export of 200 to 300 truck tractors each month provides backhaul for ships leaving Quonset. The used truck cabs, coming from across the United States, are being hauled or driven to Quonset from all over the country by Automotive Transport Incorporated (ATI). North Atlantic Distribution (NORAD) is processing the truck cabs, clearing them through customs, inspecting them and providing storage at the Port. The cabs are being shipped to Emden Germany via K-line vessels for distribution throughout Europe. The additional traffic through the Port is expected to generate work for additional Longshoremen and employees at NORAD. There are currently 30 longshoremen at Davisville who work with NORAD and the truck export program is expected to generate work for 12 more. While this is still a pilot program, the Quonset Development Corp. (QDC) is working to take further advantage of the robust export climate. With its competitive dockage and wharfage fees and no harbor maintenance tax on cargo, we believe the Port of Davisville is positioned as one of the most attractive roll-on/roll-off East coast facilities. One of the top auto importers in the country, the Port of Davisville receives cars from Emden, Germany, Veracruz, Medico and Kawasaki, Japan. Approximately 120,000 autos are processed through the port, with that number expected to increase with additional rail capacity that will allow autos to be triple decked on rail cars. The pilot program, the result of creative collaboration between K-line, NORAD, ATI and QDC, will provide cargo for the ships that previously left Quonset empty or deadhauled. Currently the K-line, ATI, and NORAD are only accepting truck tractors for the pilot program. Only 8 nautical miles from the open ocean, a foreign trade zone with on-site and on-dock rail service as well as direct state and interstate highway Quonset's Port of Davisville has emerged as a vibrant niche port for autos and other roll-on roll-off cargo. With 4,305 linear feet of pier space and over 120,000 s/f of warehouse space in place with rail sides and dock high doors, Quonset offers companies the ability to finish, assemble or store cargo on site. The successful implementation of this pilot program signals that the Port of Davisville is available for export and QDC is committed to pursuing further opportunities to expand the export side of the import-export equation at Quonset. Steven King, PE, is the chief operating officer of the Quonset Development Corp., North Kingstown.