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Business Lines: Hamilton, Philadelphia

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The Hamilton Port Authority (HPA) is sponsoring a cargo and capacity matching service, MarineGateway.net, that provides a simplified way to move bulk, breakbulk and project cargo by connecting shippers with available vessel capacity. The first shipment of fresh citrus from Uruguay to be imported into the United States arrived November 18 at Packer Avenue Marine Terminal in the Port of Philadelphia.

Hamilton Introduces New Online Marinegateway.Net Service 

The Hamilton Port Authority (HPA) is sponsoring a cargo and capacity matching service, MarineGateway.net, that provides a simplified way to move bulk, breakbulk and project cargo by connecting shippers with available vessel capacity. 

"For many years, we were hearing from users: ‘It can be difficult to get competitive quotes; the routings and support service requirements are complicated; or the system doesn’t seem designed to accommodate smaller loads,’" said Ian Hamilton, the port authority’s vice president of business development.  

Cargo owners, shipping lines and other marine service suppliers can go to www.marinegateway.net to join. The service is free to use and takes just a few seconds to sign up.  

When shipping lines have room available aboard vessels travelling to or from global destinations, they can post their excess capacity, notifying cargo owners of availability. Cargo owners, in turn, can post cargo they need shipped and request confidential quotes from a list of prequalified suppliers. In brief, it is a one-stop-shop that also connects shippers with quotes for insurance, storage and stevedoring. 

"MarineGateway.net fills a niche by putting top-up capacity out there for cargo owners and freight forwarders to consider, making it more viable to choose marine for smaller loads," said Mr. Hamilton. "By finding cargo for some of this otherwise unused marine capacity, it delivers a win-win for cargo owners and shipping lines."

HPA is inviting cargo owners, shipping lines, freight forwarders, 3PLs and other suppliers to sign up to begin receiving capacity notifications and cargo quote requests 

Philadelphia Port Receives First Uruguayan Citrus Imports

The first shipment of fresh citrus from Uruguay to be imported into the United States arrived November 18 at Packer Avenue Marine Terminal in the Port of Philadelphia.

The shipment was made possible by a ruling by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) that allows U.S. entry by Uruguayan citrus with improved regulation of potential contamination by foreign species, bacteria and pesticides.

Officials from the Uruguayan Embassy to the United States, the city of Philadelphia, USDA and APHIS, as well as executives from Holt Logistics Corp., Philadelphia Regional Port Authority, UPEFRUY (Uruguayan Growers and Exporters Union) and other importer/exporters gathered dockside to celebrate the arrival of the fruit. A short presentation and reception was held while shipping containers full of fresh Valencia oranges were loaded onto cargo trucks, which were sent to local distribution centers. 

"We are proud to mark this historic occasion for our fellow countrymen," said Minister Ricardo Baluga, deputy chief of mission, Embassy of Uruguay. "This first shipment of citrus marks nearly 19 years of hard work and negotiations between the United States and Uruguay. We have reached new levels of safety and look forward to expanding our offerings of affordable, high-quality Uruguayan produce in the U.S. and abroad."

USDA regulations prohibit or restrict the importation of fruits and vegetables into the United States from certain parts of the world to prevent the introduction and dissemination of plant pests that are new to or not widely distributed within the United States.  

In order to provide an appropriate level of phytosanitary protection, several regulations were put into place by Uruguayan authorities. These include:
  • The fruit must be imported only in commercial shipments.
  • The Uruguayan national plant protection organization (NPPO) must provide a work plan to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) that details the activities that the Uruguayan NPPO will, subject to APHIS' approval of the work plan, carry out to meet the proposed requirements. 
  • Pest monitoring and control practices must be conducted.
  • The Uruguayan grove sanitation and packinghouse procedures must be designed to eliminate the pests of concern.
  • The fruit must be treated in accordance with regulations outlined in the Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) Treatment Manual.
  • Deliveries of citrus fruit from Uruguay will be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration stating that the fruit in the consignment is free of all pests of concern and has been produced in agreement with the requirements of the systems approach.
Work to bring the first shipment to Philadelphia began immediately after the ruling took effect on August 9.

"This is excellent news for the Port of Philadelphia," said Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PRPA) Chairman Charles G. Kopp. "Thanks to an effective working relationship between Holt Logistics, PRPA, our friends in Uruguay, USDA, and other stakeholders in the port district, these fine citrus products from Uruguay will now regularly move through our port and be greatly enjoyed by American consumers. This is a big win for everyone."
 

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