Columbia Group Announces Two New Companies

The ownership of Columbia Coastal Transport, a container barge operator on the U.S. East and Gulf coasts, announced the addition of two new companies to its Columbia Group of Companies. Palmer Industries, Inc., a logistics company in Port Newark, has been acquired and will be named Columbia Container Services at a grand opening ceremony to take place on July 1, 2003. Also added to the Columbia Group of companies is Columbia Intermodal, a full container trucking company based in Port Newark. Principals of the newly acquired companies include Bruce Fenimore, President, Greg McGinty, Managing Director and John Armstrong, Vice President. “Columbia Coastal Transport has been in the container barge business for 14 years now, and these acquisitions enable us to expand our role as intermodal specialists,” Mr. Fenimore said. “Not only can we provide all-water container services, but now we offer full logistics, trucking, container and chassis repair, and warehousing capabilities to complement carrier operations “Moving ahead into the 21st century, the Columbia Group of Companies is poised to provide carriers with complete intermodal and logistics services,” said Greg McGinty, Managing Director. “By handling these operations for the carriers we serve, they can better focus on their core services.” Columbia Coastal Transport operates 11 U.S.-flag container barges in regularly scheduled feeder service operations to and from ports on the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts, plus Freeport Bahamas. Columbia Coastal also launched its Albany Expressbarge(SM) service recently offering two weekly sailings to and from Albany, NY. The company offers complete project cargo as well as government/military cargo services through its respective divisions.