Port security issue felt in Delaware River Valley ports
Port security issue felt in Delaware River Valley ports
PHILADELPHIA -- Delaware River Valley ports collectively comprise the largest fruit port in the United States and one of the larger in the world. Thus, the national firestorm over the United Arab Emirates involvement in U.S. port security has at least indirectly touched the industry here, as the ports of Philadelphia, Camden, NJ, and Wilmington, DE, are on the front lines of homeland security issues.
Robert Blackburn, deputy executive director of the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority, here, told The Produce News Feb. 28 that the port authority joined Gov. Edward Rendell and Pennsylvania's congressional delegation in supporting an extended examination period for re- evaluating the security risks of having a company -- Dubai Ports World, owned by the UAE -- take charge of some operations for some key ports in the United States.
In a separate but related event, Dubai Ports World is purchasing P&O Ports, which owns 50 percent of Delaware River Stevedores, operator of the industry-renowned Tioga Fruit Terminal in Philadelphia, which has for decades been a primary refrigerated warehouse receiving Chilean fruit. Mr. Blackburn said that Tioga also receives Spanish clementines and fruit from South Africa.
While Delaware River Stevedores is becoming part of the portfolio of Dubai Port Worlds, Mr. Blackburn said that "nothing will change" at Tioga. Delaware River Stevedores personnel that have run Tioga will continue to do so and will maintain longstanding relationships with the produce industry, Mr. Blackburn emphasized.
"It will have no impact on products arriving at or departing" from Tioga, with the U.S. Coast Guard remaining responsible for port security within the Department of Homeland Security. The USDA plant quarantine and Agricultural Market Service inspectors will continue working with importers and exporters as always, Mr. Blackburn said. "I am extremely confident of the products' integrity as they arrive through Tioga."
Mr. Blackburn said that Dubai Ports World "just agreed to subject their purchase" of P&O Ports "to a 45-day vetting process whereby various congressional committees can ask questions and kick the tires" of the P&O Ports deal.
"We are always concerned" about national security issues, Mr. Blackburn said, "and we remain consistently vigilant to make sure products arriving on our docks do so in a safe manner. We are always trying to find better ways to ensure the safety of products in our port. We do all that is humanly possible for safe products arriving in port and we are confident in the integrity of the business that we do."
The port of Wilmington addressed these issues in a Feb. 22 press release that stated, "Due to the concerns and anxiety raised recently among our citizens both locally and nationally as a result of the announcement of the sale of P&O Ports to DP World, the Diamond State Port Corporation is obliged to clarify misinformation from various media reports regarding this sale. The ownership of the port of Wilmington is not affected by the pending acquisition of P& O by DP World. Both the port of Wilmington and the Diamond State Port Corporation, which operates the port, have been and continue to be owned by the state of Delaware. Additionally, a non-partisan board of directors, appointed by the governor and representing both the public and private sectors and each county in Delaware, oversees the DSPC. This pending transaction will not include any transfer of ownership of the port of Wilmington's assets or businesses in which it is engaged to any other entity.
"Furthermore, this acquisition will have a minimal impact on the operations of our port. When finalized, DP World will acquire P&O's 50 percent ownership interest in Delaware River Stevedores, one of two independent stevedoring companies that operate in Wilmington, loading and discharging ships with local labor. DP World will join Stevedoring Services of America Marine of Seattle, Washington, as equal owners of DRS. SSA Marine is a private, American-owned logistics company with worldwide marine operations.
"DP World, owned by the government of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, a growing global port operator, is the result of a merger between Dubai Ports Authority and Dubai Ports International Terminals," the release continued. "It owns terminal operations in UAE, Asia Pacific, west Asia, east and west Africa, Europe, South America, and soon North America.
"DRS has signed a collective bargaining agreement with Local 1694 of the International Longshoreman's Association. As a result, DRS is required to hire ILA labor to discharge and load ships calling at the port of Wilmington exclusively from a labor pool composed primarily of local Delawareans. We do not anticipate any change in the direction or operations of DRS after this sale is completed."
Robert Blackburn, deputy executive director of the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority, here, told The Produce News Feb. 28 that the port authority joined Gov. Edward Rendell and Pennsylvania's congressional delegation in supporting an extended examination period for re- evaluating the security risks of having a company -- Dubai Ports World, owned by the UAE -- take charge of some operations for some key ports in the United States.
In a separate but related event, Dubai Ports World is purchasing P&O Ports, which owns 50 percent of Delaware River Stevedores, operator of the industry-renowned Tioga Fruit Terminal in Philadelphia, which has for decades been a primary refrigerated warehouse receiving Chilean fruit. Mr. Blackburn said that Tioga also receives Spanish clementines and fruit from South Africa.
While Delaware River Stevedores is becoming part of the portfolio of Dubai Port Worlds, Mr. Blackburn said that "nothing will change" at Tioga. Delaware River Stevedores personnel that have run Tioga will continue to do so and will maintain longstanding relationships with the produce industry, Mr. Blackburn emphasized.
"It will have no impact on products arriving at or departing" from Tioga, with the U.S. Coast Guard remaining responsible for port security within the Department of Homeland Security. The USDA plant quarantine and Agricultural Market Service inspectors will continue working with importers and exporters as always, Mr. Blackburn said. "I am extremely confident of the products' integrity as they arrive through Tioga."
Mr. Blackburn said that Dubai Ports World "just agreed to subject their purchase" of P&O Ports "to a 45-day vetting process whereby various congressional committees can ask questions and kick the tires" of the P&O Ports deal.
"We are always concerned" about national security issues, Mr. Blackburn said, "and we remain consistently vigilant to make sure products arriving on our docks do so in a safe manner. We are always trying to find better ways to ensure the safety of products in our port. We do all that is humanly possible for safe products arriving in port and we are confident in the integrity of the business that we do."
The port of Wilmington addressed these issues in a Feb. 22 press release that stated, "Due to the concerns and anxiety raised recently among our citizens both locally and nationally as a result of the announcement of the sale of P&O Ports to DP World, the Diamond State Port Corporation is obliged to clarify misinformation from various media reports regarding this sale. The ownership of the port of Wilmington is not affected by the pending acquisition of P& O by DP World. Both the port of Wilmington and the Diamond State Port Corporation, which operates the port, have been and continue to be owned by the state of Delaware. Additionally, a non-partisan board of directors, appointed by the governor and representing both the public and private sectors and each county in Delaware, oversees the DSPC. This pending transaction will not include any transfer of ownership of the port of Wilmington's assets or businesses in which it is engaged to any other entity.
"Furthermore, this acquisition will have a minimal impact on the operations of our port. When finalized, DP World will acquire P&O's 50 percent ownership interest in Delaware River Stevedores, one of two independent stevedoring companies that operate in Wilmington, loading and discharging ships with local labor. DP World will join Stevedoring Services of America Marine of Seattle, Washington, as equal owners of DRS. SSA Marine is a private, American-owned logistics company with worldwide marine operations.
"DP World, owned by the government of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, a growing global port operator, is the result of a merger between Dubai Ports Authority and Dubai Ports International Terminals," the release continued. "It owns terminal operations in UAE, Asia Pacific, west Asia, east and west Africa, Europe, South America, and soon North America.
"DRS has signed a collective bargaining agreement with Local 1694 of the International Longshoreman's Association. As a result, DRS is required to hire ILA labor to discharge and load ships calling at the port of Wilmington exclusively from a labor pool composed primarily of local Delawareans. We do not anticipate any change in the direction or operations of DRS after this sale is completed."
