Crowley Enhances its Latin America Service

Crowley Liner Services announced several changes and enhancements to its Latin America cargo routes. Those include the addition of a feeder service between Puerto Limon, Costa Rica and Rama, Nicaragua as part of the company's southern zone service in Central America; the launch of a new "Butterfly Express" service linking the U.S., Costa Rica, Panama and Guatemala, and the move to an all Lift On / Lift Off (Lo/Lo) service between South Florida and the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

On Dec. 7, Crowley will use the 176 TEU, Lo/Lo vessel, M.V. Christopher Dean to transport cargo directly from Port Everglades, Fla., to Rama. Following this initial sailing, the vessel will shuttle cargo back and forth between Rama and Puerto Limon, every week. Cargo arriving from Rama will be transferred to a Crowley linehaul vessel, which will sail directly to Port Everglades. The addition of Rama to the southern zone service brings to seven the number of weekly Crowley sailings linking the U.S. and Central America.

In mid-December, the company is also commencing a new Central America southern zone service called the "Butterfly Express" with three supporting Ro/Ro vessels. The new service rotation will be Port Everglades - Puerto Limon - Manzanillo, Panama - Puerto Limon - Santo Tomas, Guatemala - Port Everglades - Puerto Limon - Port Everglades. This change in rotation will add approximately 80 additional cargo spaces into the service per week.

Additionally, on Dec. 8, Crowley will conclude its Roll On/Roll Off (Ro/Ro) service between South Florida and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. The company will continue to call the Dominican Republic and Haiti with its Lo/Lo service. The new service rotation, which will begin on Dec. 17, will be Port Everglades - Rio Haina, Dominican Republic - Port-Au-Prince, Haiti - Port Everglades.

"We are pleased and excited to be able to offer these changes to our Latin America services," said Rinus Schepen, Crowley Senior Vice President and General Manager. "After carefully analyzing our business, we have determined that these changes will allow us to better serve our customers currently utilizing our Central America northern and southern zone services, as well as to expand the availability of cargo slots while offering more frequent sailings to those locations where there is demand."