Posts Categorized: Caribbean News
Hyak Supply Chain Now Saltchuk Logistics
June 1, 2020
Hyak Supply Chain, which oversees Carlile and Shoreside Logistics, became Saltchuk Logistics on June 1, 2020. The rebrand came a year after the introduction of the holding company led by Rick Murrell, retired CEO of Tropical Shipping.
“This brings front and center the credibility of the Saltchuk name to our efforts,” said Murrell in an announcement to his leadership team. “Our objective is to continue to strengthen and profitably grow our existing businesses, provide defect-free service to our customers, and add new profitable niche opportunities that enhance the earnings of the Saltchuk enterprise.”
Other than the name, there are no changes to the structure or role of the holding company.
Learn more on the company’s website, www.SaltchukLogistics.com.
Tropical Shipping Enters Suriname Market with Fastest Transit Time
May 4, 2020
Only Eight Days from Florida to Suriname
Paramaribo, Suriname – Tropical Shipping has announced it will serve the Port of Paramaribo with once-weekly sailings beginning May 14. The new eight-day transit will be the fastest service between Florida and Suriname. Tropical will ship everything from small packages to refrigerated cargo, dry goods, building supplies and vehicles. Based in South Florida, Tropical has served The Bahamas and Caribbean, including Guyana, for more than 50 years and added Belize to its ports of call in 2019.
“Moving into the Suriname market is a natural fit for Tropical,” said Tropical Shipping Assistant Vice President Mark Lopez. “It enables us to integrate our Caricom neighbor into Tropical’s network for inter-island commerce and provide an on-time, reliable supply chain to Suriname from the U.S. and Canada.”
Tropical Shipping uses state-of-the-art technology that allows customers to track their cargo for the entire journey, including at sea. Tropical is known for its on-time service and good communication with its business partners, something those customers have come to depend on.
“When you’re in the food business, you need a carrier that’s reliable,” said Willie Hamed, owner of Plaza Extra, one of the largest grocery store chains on St. Thomas and St. Croix. “We need to get fresh produce, meat, milk and other items consistently, and Tropical has provided us excellent service for more than 30 years. If there’s a delay on the mainland, they let us know, so we can plan for that. We couldn’t do what we do without them.”
Southbound service to Suriname will depart the Port of Palm Beach every Thursday and arrive in Paramaribo each Friday of the following week. The northbound 11-day service will depart Suriname on Friday and arrive in the U.S. on a Tuesday. Tropical has retained Best Maritime Services as its Suriname agent.
For more information on Tropical Shipping and the new Suriname service, visit: www.tropical.com/news/2020/tropical-shipping-announces-a-new-service-to-suriname
Shoreside Logistics Receives Foreign Trade Zone Designation
May 4, 2020
Customers benefit with cost-savings and improved cash flow
Jacksonville, FL – Shoreside Logistics is pleased to announce its designation as a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ). An FTZ is a secured site considered outside U.S. Customs territory where foreign cargo can be stored while delaying, reducing or eliminating import duties. By using Shoreside as their FTZ, businesses only pay duties once the cargo leaves the foreign trade zone, in the case of imported raw materials, once the final product enters U.S. commerce. The goal of the FTZ program is to stimulate economic growth through foreign commerce within the U.S., and Shoreside believes the timing of its new designation will be an asset to customers.
“We’re pleased to provide our customers with the many cost-saving benefits that operating under an FTZ offers,” said Shoreside Logistics President Tim Nelson. “From import duty reduction, deferral, and even elimination—an FTZ designation helps us improve cash flow for our customers, which is especially helpful during this time of economic uncertainty.”
Shoreside Logistics operates 100,000 sqft of warehouse space about five miles from JAXPORT. The company’s administration building, truck maintenance shop, driver facilities and truck parking are located on 14 acres just a couple of miles away from the warehouse. Shoreside has been part of the Jacksonville supply chain since 2002 and its services include drayage, warehousing, consolidation, intermodal transportation, Customs brokerage as well as managing the Customs Examination Station contract for the local U.S. Customs Border Patrol. Becoming an FTZ site is a natural fit and a benefit to the Jacksonville community as a whole.
“We are thrilled to welcome Shoreside to JAXPORT’s FTZ,” said JAXPORT Foreign Trade Zone Manager Deborah Lofberg. “The continued growth and success of our FTZ program, including the addition of businesses like Shoreside, helps bring more cargo, jobs and economic opportunity to our community.”
Using Shoreside as an FTZ also allows importers to file weekly Customs entries instead of each time a shipment enters the country, another significant cost-savings for businesses importing numerous shipments each week.
For more information on Shoreside’s FTZ service, visit: www.shoresidelogistics.com/foreign-trade-zone
Introducing Hyak Supply Chain to the Saltchuk Family of Companies
April 8, 2019
New brand, leadership introduced to headline Saltchuk’s logistics line of business
Saltchuk is pleased to introduce Hyak Supply Chain, the newest name in the Saltchuk family of companies. Hyak joins Foss, NorthStar Energy, TOTE, Northern Aviation Services
Leading the new business unit as President and CEO is Rick Murrell, who recently retired from Tropical after 40 years at the helm and is currently serving as Saltchuk SVP, Managing Director for the Caribbean. Murrell will work with leadership teams at two Saltchuk companies falling under the new brand, Carlile and Shoreside Logistics, to grow and develop their businesses.
The formation of Hyak reinforces Saltchuk’s commitment providing the best, most reliable logistics and supply chain services in the market.
TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico receives top honors in Quest for Quality Awards
August 7, 2018
TOTE received the best score in both the Value and IT categories
Jacksonville, FL – Last week it was announced that TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico was ranked number one in the value and IT categories for Ocean Carriers in this year’s Quest for Quality awards. These awards are a reflection of the long term investments being made by TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico – including the world’s first LNG powered containerships, terminal upgrades and custom equipment for customers – to ensure best in class service for the Puerto Rico market.
Logistics Management’s annual Quest for Quality awards ranks Ocean carriers. This annual award is driven by feedback from customers.
“TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico is excited to receive top honors in both of these categories” noted Tim Nolan, President and CEO of TOTE.
“Over the last few years, we have implemented new programs and secured new equipment to support diverse customer needs and ensure customer are receiving a best in class customer experience and great value when working with TOTE Maritime.”
Value and information technology, the categories where TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico scored highest in the industry, were ranked as the second and third most important attributes of a successful ocean carrier, preceded only by on-time performance.
Over the last five years, TOTE Maritime Puerto has invested in all aspects of operations to provide a competitive, best in class service for the Puerto Rico trade. These investments include new equipment, new vessels, updated operating systems, and new terminal systems to increase efficiency.
In the last six months, TOTE Maritime has launched a series of new and updated customer tools to improve the customer experience and increase the value of doing business with TOTE Maritime. These investments include additional new equipment such as 53’ and 40’ chassis as well as:
- an additional 300 x 40’ chassis delivered to Puerto Rico in June.
- an additional 220 x 53’ newly built containers, distributed in the last two months.
- an additional 200 x 53’ chassis are being delivered this week (week of August 6).
Most recently, TOTE Maritime launched a new mobile application allowing customers access to cargo and sailing information at any time of day from any device.
In addition to these equipment and IT updates, TOTE continues to adjust service offerings in line with customers’ needs. Specifically, TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico will continue to maintain Saturday gate hours in San Juan, as they have done since the beginning of 2018, to support customer cargo needs on the island.
“These updates are critical to providing customers with access to cargo and vessel information at any time of day from any device in the world” commented Bill Taylor, Vice President of Sales. “We know our customers expect best in class service and we are committed to providing the best customer experience possible.”
View the select list of Ocean Carrier Winners.