Governor Corbett Officially Welcomes Horizon Lines to Port of Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA, April 18, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Tom Corbett today officially welcomed Horizon Lines to the Port of Philadelphia during a press conference that took place just steps from the second Horizon Lines freight ship to unload in Philadelphia since the company relocated their Northeast Port of Call to the port.

"Horizon Lines is among the safest, best maintained and best crewed ships on the oceans and now they are putting in at one of the best, most historic and indeed most American of ports, Philadelphia," Corbett said. 

"From the refineries, to Aker ship building, to the improvements we have secured along the river, we know that this port and this region is not only part of our historic past, it is essential to our economic future."

The arrival of Horizon Lines, which relocated its Northeast Port of Call to Philadelphia from northern New Jersey, marks another milestone for the Port of Philadelphia.  Under terms of the agreement, Horizon will call Packer Avenue 52 times per year, providing weekly service between the Northeast U.S. and San Juan, Puerto Rico, opening up a strong international trade route.

"From day one my administration has been committed to creating new jobs and new opportunities at the Port of Philadelphia while continuing to support the existing workers who have helped to make this port great," Corbett said.  "We have invested millions in improvements as well as state investment in the shipyards where workers won't only be repairing ships, they will be building them."

The Horizon Lines relocation is expected to create 600 full-time, direct, indirect and induced jobs in the region and will generate at least $46 million in overall economic gain.

Horizon Lines Inc. is one of the nation's leading domestic ocean shipping companies and the only ocean cargo carrier serving all three noncontiguous domestic markets of Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico from the continental United States.  Through the Port of Philadelphia they will mainly ship fresh produce, perishables, food and beverage products, chemicals, medical supplies and pharmaceuticals. 

"The work ethic of Pennsylvania's people is second to none.  Our people want to work, they work hard and they work well," Corbett said.  When it comes to the men and women waiting on the docks to unload their cargo and get it to market, Horizon has chosen well by choosing Philadelphia," said Corbett.

Today's Port of Philadelphia celebration was held at the Port of Philadelphia at the Packer Avenue Terminal, just steps from the unloading of Horizon's second freight ship to call at Packer.  The governor was joined by local elected officials, representatives of the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority, as well as attendees from Holt Logistics and Horizon Lines Inc. 

For more information about Governor Corbett, visit www.pa.gov.

Media contact: 

Kelli Roberts; Governor's Office, 717-783-1116

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor