Thursday, Oct. 21, 2004
Gov. Minner Announces New Warehouse, Lease Agreement with Dole at Port of Wilmington
Wilmington – Governor Ruth Ann Minner announced Thursday that a memorandum of understanding was signed with Dole, marking the first steps in the development of a new 60,000 square feet, $7.5million refrigerated warehouse for the exclusive use of Dole, along with an extension of the company’s lease agreement with the Port.
“I congratulate and thank Dole for their continued commitment to the Port of Wilmington and for the preservation and growth of well-paying jobs for the residents Delaware,” Gov. Minner said. “This is another example of a nationally recognized company committed to growing its business in the First State.”
The Governor, along with Nathan Hayward III, Secretary of Transportation and Chairman of the Diamond State Port Corporation, and Dennis Kelly, Vice President of U.S. Ports & Terminals, Dole Fresh Fruit Company signed the memorandum of understanding between the DSPC and Dole on Thursday.
Dole, the world’s largest fruit company, is Wilmington’s largest customer-tenant. Dole is planning to lease the new warehouse for up to 15 years to support the continued growth and market development of their pineapples, melons and other tropical fruit and vegetable imports through Wilmington.
Since 1982, Dole’s weekly container shipments of bananas and tropical fruit have increased five-fold. This business, coupled with the substantial growth in their Chilean winter fruit imports and related business from the Port’s importers, has enabled Wilmington to lead the nation as the No. 1 port in imported fresh fruit. The Port also has the largest container cargo movements on the Delaware River.
“The combination of this new state-of-the-art warehouse facility, excellent transportation infrastructure, a dedicated and specialized work force, and a strong and unique partnership with the Port of Wilmington and the State of Delaware has given Dole a clear choice in selecting a port where we could develop our tropical fruit market on the US East Coast,” said Dennis Kelly, VP of US Ports & Terminals for Dole.
This construction project will be funded through a bond bill appropriation and a lease agreement with The Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA). Construction should be completed by December 2005.
