Crowley and Seaboard provide vessel-sharing details

Crowley and Seaboard now have VSAs to the Dominican Republic as well as Panama and Costa Rica.    Crowley Maritime and Seaboard Marine said they have entered into a new vessel-sharing agreement in the Dominican Republic trade, while also changing their current VSA to Panama and Costa Rica.
   The new VSA, which commences mid-November, will provide customers of both companies with reliable, weekly service on a larger ship moving directly between Port Everglades and Rio Haina, the companies said.
   At the same time, the existing VSA between Seaboard and Crowley to Panama and Costa Rica will now call only PortMiami starting in mid-November. Both Seaboard and Crowley vessels will arrive weekly at the PortMiami on Tuesday evening and sail southbound on Fridays.
   Cooperation “will allow both companies to continue providing exceptional service at competitive rates” while reducing emissions said Tony Otero, Crowley vice president, Caribbean services.
   Edward Gonzalez, Seaboard Marine president and chief executive officer, said, “These two arrangements permit us to gain efficiencies while enhancing schedule integrity to our customers. Transit times to and from Costa Rica, as an example, will be improved.”
   In the Dominican Republic service, a vessel will discharge and load in Port Everglades each week on Wednesday then depart for Rio Haina, for arrival on Saturday before departing northbound on Sunday. Crowley and Seaboard will equally share vessel space, but each line will continue to individually provide equipment and other services.
   Seaboard will continue to offer a weekly Sunday sailing from PortMiami to Rio Haina, while Crowley will still sail weekly on Sunday from Port Everglades to Rio Haina.