Terminal Operations: Lake Charles, Santa Marta

In a ceremonial exchange on July 29, Lake Charles Port Executive Director Bill Rase handed over the keys to a newly renovated port building to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials. A partnership between the Port of Santa Marta and Panama-based Fast Terminal International has transformed a Santa Marta facility into Colombia’s first specialized ro/ro operation.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Now Fully Operating at Port of Lake Charles’ City Docks Terminal

In a ceremonial exchange on July 29, Lake Charles Port Executive Director Bill Rase handed over the keys to a newly renovated port building to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials.

The building originally housed the port’s administrative offices, which were relocated to another facility in September 2012. The port leased it to the federal government’s property manager, the U.S. General Services Administration, for 10 years at a "rate slightly above fair market value."

CBP’s offices of Field Operations and Border Patrol will both operate from the location. The offices play an integral role in border protection and national security in the Southwest Louisiana region.

The Lake Charles Harbor & Terminal District encompasses 203 square miles in Calcasieu Parish, is governed by a seven-member board of commissioners, and operates marine terminals, properties zoned for industrial use and two industrial parks.

Port of Lake Charles Executive Director Bill Rase (right) hands the building keys to new tenants and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials Brad Eddy (center), United States Border Patrol, Patrol Agent in Charge, and Clayton Istre (left), Office of Field Operations Port Director.
Photo/Port of Lake Charles

Santa Marta Establishes Colombia’s First Specialized RO/RO Terminal Operation

A partnership between the Port of Santa Marta and Panama-based Fast Terminal International has transformed a Santa Marta facility into Colombia’s first specialized ro/ro operation.

Fast Terminal Santa Marta offers integrated logistical services for ro/ro operations from the moment a vehicle-carrying vessel arrives, including discharge, inspection, security, transport to the free zone, registration and storage. So doing minimizes risk by reducing transfers of responsibility in the logistical chain for transporting, handling and preparing cargo for delivery to the ultimate customer.

At the same time, the partnership has given the port international standing as a specialist in this type of operation, streamlining the process with a system of operation that requires adequate indicators of discharge, driver certification, unifying various operating systems, information confidentiality, technology and all the associated benefits, such as the generation of employment and income for the city.

Santa Marta Port General Manager Mauricio Suarez Ramirez, PPM®, believes the partnership make the port even more competitive. "Basically what we are doing," he said, "is integrating services, unifying responsibilities and standards. Previously, when a vehicle was unloaded, for example, once it left the terminal we had no responsibility, one company was responsible for transportation, another for its handling and storage in the free trade zone, various transfers of responsibility occurred during the process. Now, we have centralized these responsibilities with the creation of Fast Terminal Santa Marta and the biggest beneficiary will be the customer who will now have all the necessary information on the status of his cargo and the paperwork, dealing with one single actor. This represents efficiency, security and above all else competiveness at the international level."

José María Solá Freixa, chief executive of Fast Terminal International, describes Santa Marta as uniquely qualified to handle vehicles, with depths of 60 feet at the pier, 60 percent relative humidity and low salinity, among other things, creating "a great environment for developing a ro/ro operation ... that will undoubtedly benefit the city and Colombia’s foreign trade because Santa Marta will become a pioneer in the county for handling wheeled cargo."

The company has extensive international experience, with operations of this type in Mexico, the United States, Panama and Colombia.

Santa Marta currently imports more than 49,000 vehicles annually, the most of any port on Colombia’s Caribbean Coast.

Mauricio Suárez, general manager, Sociedad Portuaria de Santa Marta (center) shaking hands with Fast Terminal International CEO José María Freixa Solá.
Photo/Puerto de Santa Marta