(JACKSONVILLE, Fla.; Feb. 6, 2009) Childcare facilities in Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico will soon get a new look, as Crowley transports more than a dozen new, modular childcare buildings from the U.S. mainland to Puerto Rico.
On Thursday, Crowley loaded six modular childcare buildings in Jacksonville for a major Texas-based modular building manufacturer. Another 11 buildings are scheduled to be transported in February. Once at Crowley’s Isla Grande Terminal in San Juan, they will be transported to the military base.
In all, Crowley was contracted to transport 17 modular childcare buildings. Crowley’s specialized break-bulk team worked closely with the building manufacturer to ensure logistical challenges in carrying the oversized cargo were successfully addressed. Each modular building is 74 feet long, 14 feet wide and 12 feet high. Once at the military base, the buildings will be connected to each other, creating a more than 17,000-square-foot childcare center capable of housing approximately 200 children.
While Crowley was the first company they thought of in transporting the cargo, the Texas-based modular building manufacturer said they had other options. They chose Crowley due to their longstanding, positive reputation in Puerto Rico. The manufacturer also commented that while other companies struggled to get all the aspects of the projects addressed, Crowley’s knowledgeable break-bulk team offered personalized service and were always available to offer solutions and a plan.
“Whether its retail merchandise, agricultural products or oversized and odd cargoes, Crowley is always ready to provide solutions to companies who do business in Puerto Rico,” said Roberto Lugo, vice president of Puerto Rico services. “The Crowley team is committed to the Puerto Rico community and we are pleased to be able to provide services that will enhance childcare capabilities at Fort Buchanan.”
Located in the heart of the San Juan metropolitan area, Fort Buchanan is a city within the city, serving a population of over 104,000 military and civilian personnel, veterans and retirees and their family members, according to the Fort Buchanan governmental website, http://www.buchanan.army.mil/sites/local/. The base’s economic impact on the local community is estimated at over $160 million annually. Its 746 acres, with a real estate value of some approximately $560 million, house an ever growing joint community that includes Active and Reserve Component units as well as other Department of Defense and Federal organizations.
Crowley Puerto Rico Services Inc. and its predecessor company have been serving the Puerto Rico market since 1954, longer than any other carrier in the trade. The company, with some 200 Puerto Rico employees, is also the No. 1 ocean carrier between the island commonwealth and the U.S. mainland with more weekly sailings and more cargo carried annually than any other shipping line.
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 that 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; vessel management; vessel construction and naval architecture; 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.
