Crowley Delivers Power Line Poles to Help Puerto Rico’s Grid Rebuild

Crowley Puerto Rico Services is completing the offload of 1,204 utility poles in San Juan today as part of an ongoing series of shipments that could supply up to 65,000 poles to help restore Puerto Rico’s power grid after Hurricane Maria. A video showing poles being offloaded this week is available here.

Crowley’s breakbulk shipments, including today’s load discharging from the barge Columbia Baltimore, will consist of 35-, 40- and 70-foot wooden, concrete and galvanized steel poles, sailing aboard multiple flat-deck and roll-on/roll-off barges. 

In addition, Crowley Logistics is offering additional supply chain solutions for the grid restoration project by trucking the poles stateside as well as deliveries to laydown yards once on-island and providing warehousing and distribution for other electrical equipment, such as spools of line and transformers.

“The utility poles are essential to helping Puerto Rico reestablish electrical service on the island in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria,” said Frank Larkin, senior vice president and general manager, logistics and commercial services. “This specialized logistics service highlights Crowley’s ability to adapt and scale solutions to meet the needs of business and government customers.”

Since Hurricane Maria struck, Crowley has transported 12,793 commercial loads and 5,490 loads for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, providing rebuilding supplies, water, food, generators and heavy equipment to help to aid people affected by the storm. 

To speed the flow of cargo from the mainland, Crowley has expanded its vessel fleet with seven flat-deck barges to raise capacity by 67 percent, which has allowed the company to have a vessel call in San Juan almost every day since the storm.

The logistics team continues its support of the FEMA as well with supply chain management, long-distance and local trucking, deconsolidation, cross-docking and warehousing services on the mainland and on the island. 

Crowley, which has 300 employees in Puerto Rico, has served the island since 1954, longer than any U.S. Jones Act carrier in the trade.

Jacksonville-based Crowley Holdings Inc., a holding company of the 125-year-old Crowley Maritime Corporation, is a privately held family and employee-owned company. The company provides project solutions, energy 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: liner container shipping, logistics, contract towing and transportation; ship assist and escort; energy support; salvage and emergency response through its 50 percent ownership in Ardent Global; 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 at www.crowley.com.