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Commodities: Georgia, Houston

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The Georgia Ports Authority has doubled its Toyota export business, as the company is now moving Highlander SUVs bound for Australia and New Zealand through the Port of Savannah's Ocean Terminal. A pilot program to import shipments of navel oranges from South Africa across Port of Houston Authority docks has proven successful and will be expanded next year. 

Toyota Chooses Savannah for Exports to Australia, New Zealand 

The Georgia Ports Authority has doubled its Toyota export business, as the company is now moving Highlander SUVs bound for Australia and New Zealand through the Port of Savannah's Ocean Terminal.

"The efficiency and world-class customer service at our roll-on/roll-off facilities in Savannah and Brunswick have made GPA a trusted name in the movement of vehicles and heavy equipment," said GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz. "Combined, our terminals moved more than 700,000 cars, trucks and tractors last fiscal year, and we're on track to beat that record in FY2015."

Toyota began exporting Venza crossovers via the Port of Brunswick to Eastern Europe a year and a half ago.

"When researching a location for exports to Oceania, Toyota's experience in Brunswick made a GPA facility an appealing option," said Corinne Akahoshi, National Manager of Marine Logistics Operations at Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc."The challenge was in bringing together the service profile – vessel schedules, processing, survey requirements and direct rail service. The collaboration among the GPA, WWL, Vehicle Services Americas, and Norfolk Southern with Toyota made this move from concept to reality within an incredibly abbreviated time frame. We had great confidence that with the GPA as a partner, the project would get done."

The Japanese automaker will move thousands of Highlanders a year from the carmaker's Princeton, IN, plant through the GPA terminal in Savannah. The right-hand drive version of the truck is known as the Kluger in Australia.

The vehicles will arrive in Savannah by Norfolk Southern, where they will be staged at Ocean Terminal prior to export. The GPA recently completed paving an additional five acres at Ocean Terminal, bringing the total parking area for roll-on/roll-off cargo to 40 acres on the terminal.

Craig Kessler, director of break bulk and bulk operations at Ocean Terminal, said four to 10 acres will be devoted to Toyota staging, depending on shipping schedules.


Toyota Highlanders destined for New Zealand and Australia are off-loaded at the Port of Savannah's Ocean Terminal.
Photo/Georgia Ports Authority

South African Citrus Program Comes to the Port of Houston Authority

A pilot program to import shipments of navel oranges from South Africa across Port of Houston Authority docks has proven successful and will be expanded next year. The "South African Summer Citrus" program that is sponsored by the Western Cape Citrus Producers Forum (WCCPF) was recently expanded to include the Port of Houston, noted Ricardo J. Arias, Trade Development Manager for the Port Authority. 

"Whenever we are able to bring new business to the port, it boosts employment and economic activity in our region," Arias said.

Forum officials said Houston was selected for its central location and its state-of-the-art facilities used to inspect fruit on arrival. By shipping through the Port of Houston, it gives shippers the capability to serve market needs of the entire Midwest area, from Houston to Chicago and points west, they said. 

Capespan North America and Seald Sweet are the importers that are receiving the fruit from the Houston shipments, with Capespan receiving the majority. Both Capespan and the South African Citrus Growers Association have been instrumental in facilitating the Houston service.The program complements the domestic citrus industry because it is shipped between June and October, when U.S.-grown citrus is not as available.

 

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