TROPICAL SHIPPING ACQUIRES KENT LINE’s CONTAINER DIVISION

TROPICAL SHIPPING ACQUIRES KENT LINEÆS CONTAINER DIVISION    Tropical Shipping will increase its operations in the Canada/Caribbean trade by acquiring the container assets of Kent Line International.
   The Riviera Beach, Fla.-based carrier, a subsidiary of Nicor, has transported Canadian exports to the Bahamas for 33 years. Tropical has also provided transport between Canada and the Caribbean for 25 years and operated offices in Canada for 18 years.
   “Tropical’s acquisition of the Kent Line container division will expand the number of Caribbean ports connected by an all water service from Canada and this will benefit both the Canadian exporter as well as the Caribbean importers,” said Rick Murrell, president and chief executive officer for the carrier.
   Effective Oct. 22, Tropical will take over Kent Line’s weekly container service from Saint John, New Brunswick, to the Caribbean and northern coast of South America.
   Kent Line will focus its efforts on growing its break-bulk service to Europe, the Caribbean and South America, operated by a fleet of owned and chartered ships, together with developing its tanker ownership and ship management/agency activities. Kent Line has arranged a two year charter for the container vessels “Sprint” and “Express.”
   “This decision is the best course for our business and also provides our current container customers with an expanded network of destinations out of Saint John with Tropical,” said Bob Youden, vice president of transportation for Kent Line, a subsidiary of J.D. Irving, Ltd.
   Kent has already started to transfer as many qualified employees as possible over to Tropical.