National Shipping of America (NSA) has partnered with Richmers-linie to provide more global connections to Puerto-Rico and greatly expand break bulk service opportunities to the island.
The Isla Verde Express provided by NSA, links the US mainland to the Commonwealth providing the fastest transit times using the greenest, most modern vessel in the trade.
NSA will deploy the MV National Glory, a 570 TEU vessel, endorsed for Jones Act trades. The vessel is capable of carrying both containers and break bulk cargoes, above and below deck. It is the only vessel in the domestic Puerto Rico trade that is capable of doing so.
Meanwhile, Rickmers-Linie will operate a 10-vessel, round-the-world pearl service connecting 16 ports in Europe, Asia and the Americas. The ship calls fortnightly at Houston where cargo destined for Puerto-Rico will relay directly to the NSA vessel with minimal dwell time.
Rickmers-Linie will also serve as a general sales agent for NSA.
“We are pleased to offer Puerto Rico as an additional destination to our customers,” said Robert Sappio, president and CEO of Rickmers-Linie. “By connecting our Pearl String Service with NSA’s Isla Verde Express, we greatly expand options for Puerto Rico shippers to source goods from virtually anywhere in the world.
“We are honored to be nominated as NSA’s sales agent and are looking forward to a fruitful partnership. Rickmers-Linie will bring its market knowledge and 100- country global scope to further enhance the success of National Shipping of America in the growing Puerto Rico trade.”
President of NSA, Torey Presti said: “Puerto Rico is one of the most densely populated islands in the world, and is greatly dependent on ocean services to provide everything from foodstuffs to project cargo to oversize materials and equipment,
“Access to a global vessel network with break bulk capabilities is especially beneficial to support the unique needs of an island trade.”
