Crowley has begun to take delivery of 3,661 new pieces of equipment as part of its ongoing commitment to provide customers with containers that are modern, secure and sized right for their cargoes.
The new units consist of 1,400 53-foot (102" wide) containers, 1,400 53-foot chassis, 140 40-foot high cube refrigerated containers and 721 40-foot high cube dry containers. The first shipment of containers and chassis has arrived in Jacksonville, FL, and remaining deliveries are expected over the next five months.
The equipment is being deployed in the company's Latin America, Caribbean and Puerto Rico liner services as fast as it is received. The 53-foot equipment will be used only in the US mainland - Puerto Rico trade.
"This is the third equipment order we have placed since 2003, and is further indication of our commitment to reinvest in the business," said Tom Crowley Jr., Chairman, President and CEO of Crowley Maritime Corporation. "I know from talking with our customers that they appreciate the fact that we respond to their needs with appropriately sized equipment that is more modern and more secure than anything else being offered by other carriers in the Puerto Rico, Central America and Caribbean trades."
In 2005, the company ordered 136 40-foot chassis and 229 generator sets, half of which have already been received, and last year, Crowley acquired 181 40-foot reefers, 228 generator sets, 1,049 45-foot (102" wide) containers and chassis and 200 53-foot (102" wide) containers and chassis.
Like the equipment received in recent years, the 2,261 new boxes were built to Crowley's more demanding security specifications - with hardware that allows for an additional bolt-type seal to lock the door to the doorframe, heavy-duty door plating and special round-headed huck bolts, all of which make it especially difficult for anyone to gain illegal access.
As an added benefit, having containers that can be lifted on and off chassis provide shippers with the flexibility to easily transition between Crowley's Roll On/Roll Off (RO/RO) and Lift On/Lift Off (LO/LO) operations.
