GT USA Wilmington recently welcomed the M/V PORTHOS, a General Cargo Ship built in 2011, carrying a cargo of glycerin from Malaysia for the Acme-Hardesty company to the Port of Wilmington, Delaware.
A new customer to the Port of Wilmington, Acme-Hardesty began operations more than 80 years ago, as a division of Jacob Stern and Sons. Today, the company is one of the largest distributors of castor oils and derivatives, palm derivatives, preservatives and surfactants and renewable palm-based glycerin, fatty acids and fatty alcohols.
The shipment of glycerin off loaded in Wilmington is utilized in the manufacturing of many product categories, i.e., hand sanitizers, personal care, cosmetics and cleaning products.
Representatives from the company, Matt Hoyle, Director Supply Chain, Aurelio Castilla, Manager of International Operations, Caren Dres-Hajeski, Vice President Personal Care and Marketing were on hand to view operations on day one.
The cargo of glycerin had previously been shipped in containers, but due to continued challenges caused by the global shortage of containers, Acme-Hardesty thought “outside the box” and transitioned to a bulk method of shipping to ensure they eliminated any delay in their supply to their customers. Their decision paid off and GT USA Wilmington is honored to have played a part in assisting the company with this.
Matt Howle, Director, Supply Chain for Acme-Hardesty said ”By working with our Terminal Partner, GT USA, and our Delaware Warehouse Partner, Sardo and Sons, Acme-Hardesty Supply Chain has taken the next step in achieving our strategy of Reliable Sustainable Freight. We have collaborated with our partners to establish a new stream of freight for Acme-Hardesty imports utilizing break bulk vessels. These open hull ships provide Acme-Hardesty the ability to bring in large shipments of our most important products without the impact of the global container restraints. Partners like GT USA and Sardo and Sons have been incredible full-service partners who have shown to work seamlessly with Acme-Hardesty to be successful in our entry into break bulk. We look forward to many more shipments with these vessels as they will continue to play an important role in our overall supply chain network.”
The vessel was unloaded over the course of two days and operations went ahead safely and efficiently, with the product being moved very quickly to its final destination.
Joe Cruise, CEO of GT USA Wilmington, “We are delighted to welcome Acme-Hardesty to the Port of Wilmington and to be able to host their team to personally see these operations first hand. We are really very pleased that they were able to witness the amazing work by our union partners in unloading this cargo in a safe and timely manner.”
About GT USA Wilmington
GT USA Wilmington is a U.S. division of Gulftainer, a privately owned, independent terminal operator and logistics company with operations and business interests in the Middle East and the United States. The company signed a 50-year agreement to manage operations at the Port of Wilmington. This agreement marks Gulftainer’s second venture in the United States and follows the signing of a 35-year agreement with the Canaveral Port Authority in Florida. For more information, go to www.gulftainer.com/US.
About the Port of Wilmington, DELAWARE
Founded in 1923, the Port of Wilmington is a full service Mid-Atlantic seaport on the Delaware River strategically located to provide overnight access to two hundred million North American consumers. Wilmington ranks as North America’s top banana port and the nation’s leading gateway for imports of fresh fruit and juice concentrates. The Port was one of the original certified ‘360 Quality’ marine terminals in the United States and is Safe Quality Food (SQF) certified, underscoring its high-quality handling standards for perishable cargo. An economic engine for the State of Delaware and the region, business activity at the Port creates over 5,900 family sustaining jobs and annually generates $436 million in business revenue, $409 million in personal income and $41 million in local taxes. The Port is operated by GT USA Wilmington, LLC. For further information, visit www.gulftainer.com/US or www.portofwilmington.com
About Acme-Hardesty
Acme-Hardesty celebrates its 80th Anniversary! A division of Jacob Stern & Sons, Inc., Acme Hardesty is one of the largest North American distributors of castor oil and derivatives, oleochemical derivatives, bio-based products, preservatives, and surfactants, as well as a full range of renewable palm-based glycerin, fatty acids, fatty alcohols and specialty esters. A member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), Acme-Hardesty champions the use of sustainable, renewable products and the development of bio-based solutions for real-world applications in the future.
For more information, visit www.acme-hardesty.com
