Crowley suspends service to earthquake-ravaged Haiti

The following is the text of a press release issued by Crowley Holdings Inc.:
 
(JACKSONVILLE, Fla.) — In light of the earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Crowley Maritime Corporation’s liner services group has temporarily suspended regularly scheduled cargo services to and from the country.
 
This temporary suspension comes as port infrastructure damages are being assessed. The company is cooperating with and assisting U.S. government agencies including USAID, SDDC and other relief agencies with emergency shipments to the country.

Crowley stands ready to ship emergency supplies and needed cargo as soon as port conditions allow. The company is evaluating how it can best deploy its wide variety of specialized marine assets to deliver humanitarian cargo and assistance to the disaster relief.

“We are deeply concerned for our colleagues as well as all Haitian citizens affected by this disaster,” said Tucker Gilliam, general manager, Dominican Republic/Haiti services. “We are closely monitoring the situation through our agent in Port-au-Prince and our Incident Management Team and are maintaining communications with both relief agencies and our customers ensuring that cargo moves are resumed as quickly as possible.”

Those wishing to contribute humanitarian supplies to Haiti’s relief effort should do so by contacting non-profit organizations such as Food for the Poor or Catholic Relief Services.

Jacksonville-based Crowley Holdings Inc., a holding company of the 117-year-old Crowley Maritime Corporation, is a privately held family and employee-owned company. The company provides diversified transportation and logistics services in domestic and international markets by means of six operating lines of business: Puerto Rico/Caribbean Liner Services, Latin America Liner Services, Logistics Services, Petroleum Services, Marine Services and Technical Services. Offered within these operating lines of business are the following services: liner container shipping, logistics, contract towing and transportation; ship assist and escort; energy support; salvage and emergency response through its TITAN Salvage subsidiary; vessel management; vessel construction and naval architecture through its Jensen Maritime subsidiary; government services, and petroleum and chemical transportation, distribution and sales. Additional information about Crowley, its subsidiaries and business units may be found on the Internet at www.crowley.com.

By Professional Mariner Staff