Wallenius Wilhelmsen signs long-term agreement with Georgia Ports
by Emily Atkins
Roll-on roll-off (Ro-Ro) specialist Wallenius Wilhelmsen has signed a 20-year lease at the Georgia Ports Authority’s (GPA) Brunswick facility at the Colonel’s Island Terminal.
Signing the agreement were Wallenius Wilhelmsen Chief Operating Officer Mike Hynekamp, Wallenius Wilhelmsen CEO Lasse Kristoffersen, GPA Board Chairman Kent Fountain and GPA President and CEO Griff Lynch.The Brunswick expansion will add to an established network of terminals, on-port and in-plant processing centres that handle vehicles, construction, mining, and agricultural equipment across the region. The deal includes an options for an additional 30-year extension on the lease.
“We’re excited to welcome the additional business to Colonel’s Island Terminal from Wallenius Wilhelmsen, where we are developing the nation’s premier gateway for all carriers handling autos and heavy machinery,” said GPA President and CEO Griff Lynch.
Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s Brunswick footprint includes expansions and enhancements to its existing terminal and auto vehicle processing centre (VPC). An important addition is the new equipment processing centre (EPC) that can store, customize, assemble, exercise, and distribute machinery on behalf of equipment OEMs and their dealers.
“Our expansion and new long-term commitment in Brunswick strengthen our position as the preferred supply chain partner to North American automotive, equipment and breakbulk customers providing our complete package of market-leading end-to-end logistics services,” said Lasse Kristoffersen, Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s CEO.
“We are thankful for our longtime partnership with Wallenius Wilhelmsen and are excited to begin this new chapter of service,” said GPA board chairman Kent Fountain. “With the efficiencies of their Brunswick operation, GPA and Wallenius Wilhelmsen will continue to deliver world-class reliability for our mutual customers.”
The new facilities will allow Wallenius Wilhelmsen to offer value added services in factory-like conditions that are better than any on-port setting, said Mike Hynekamp, chief operating officer, logistics services at Wallenius Wilhelmsen. The facilities are purpose-built to allow for storage, inspection and distribution of customers’ products without the need to dray to an off-site location.
Wallenius Wilhelmsen operates around 125 vessels servicing 15 trade routes to six continents, a global inland distribution network, 66 processing centres, and eight marine terminals. With its head office in Oslo, Norway, the Wallenius Wilhelmsen group has 9,545 employees in 28 countries worldwide.
