R.I. governor proposes $70m investment at Port Davisville

The investment proposed by Gov. Raimondo would add an additional 50 years to Pier 2’s life, preserve hundreds of jobs in the maritime sector and keep Rhode Island competitive with other nearby ports, the Quonset Development Corporation said.    Rhode Island Governor Gina M. Raimondo included a $70 million bond proposal in her state budget earlier this month to upgrade the Port of Davisville’s Pier 2, the Quonset Development Corporation said.
   The Port of Davisville is situated in North Kingstown, R.I. at the Quonset Business Park, which is managed by the Quonset Development Corporation.
   The proposed investment at Pier 2 involves installing a new HZ style wall with grouted earth anchors drilled into the existing pier backfill to anchor the wall to support the exposed height and earth pressure. An additional berth at the Pier is also included in the proposal to allow the port to serve more vessels.
   Overall, the investment would add an additional 50 years to the pier’s life, preserve hundreds of jobs in the maritime sector and keep Rhode Island competitive with other nearby ports, the Quonset Development Corporation said.
   Pier 2 was constructed in 1956 with a designed life of 50 years.
   The Port of Davisville has been experiencing extremely strong growth. In 2015, the port set a record for vessel arrivals, with 193 vessels arriving at the port throughout the year. 
   In 2015, 227,021 automobiles were imported at the port, a 27.4 percent increase from 2014. Also, 42,150 additional vehicles arrived at the port by truck and rail during the year, bringing the total to 269,171 vehicles arriving at the port in 2015.
   Gov. Raimondo said the port experienced its sixth consecutive record breaking year for automobiles imported by ship in 2015.
   “Year after year, across industry, Quonset grows jobs, attracts new business and breaks records,” United States House Representative James Langevin, D-R.I. said in a statement.
   “Success at Davisville didn’t happen overnight,” Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I. said. “We are breaking new records today because of investments we started making decades ago.”
   In addition to vehicle imports, the Port of Davisville serves the frozen seafood industry and can handle project and breakbulk cargos, according to the Quonset Development Corporation’s website. The port is currently equipped with two piers, each of which are 1,200 feet; four berths; five terminals; and on-dock rail.