Horizon Terminal Services plans for new auto processing plant at Port Everglades

The private marine terminal operator inked a long-term lease on 8.67 acres at Port Everglades to construct a new auto processing facility as it plans to move from its 5.73-acre short-term location at the port.    Horizon Terminal Services has signed a new long-term lease on 8.67 acres at Port Everglades where the company plans to invest $630,000 for a new auto processing facility, the port announced Tuesday.
   The acreage includes a 5.67-acre parcel, plus a 3-acre outparcel with an existing warehouse adjacent to the docks in the Midport section of the port. Horizon is moving from a 5.73-acre short-term location in the port’s Southport area.
   “Relocating to the Midport site provides operational advantages over the Southport site because there is a shorter distance for brand-new vehicles to travel between the ship at berth and terminal yard, and a lower potential for the vehicles to be damaged during this transit,” the port explained in its announcement.
   Horizon has said that it plans to convert a port-owned warehouse facility for new vehicle processing – at a much lower cost than constructing new facilities – to handle a planned increase from 15,000 autos and heavy equipment currently to 40,000-50,000 vehicles annually over the next five years.
   Horizon, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Höegh Autoliners, carries two million standard car units annually throughout the globe, and has imported over 4,300 new General Motors vehicles from Mexico since operations started in late May 2017. These were the first shipments of new imported vehicles to move through Port Everglades in many years, the port said.
   Horizon has also exported over 2,000 new Honda vehicles manufactured in the U.S., which began arriving at Port Everglades by rail in August 2017.