That was the headline from the American Journal of Transportation (AJOT) in their annual RO/RO (Roll-On/Roll-Off) edition, which hit newsstands earlier this month.  Coming off its fifth consecutive record breaking year of auto imports in 2014, and ranked among the Top Ten auto importers in North America, the designation is another reflection of the robust growth at the Port of Davisville in recent years. That success is due to the collaboration between the Quonset Development Corporation (QDC) and North Atlantic Distribution, Inc (NORAD), the major auto processor and distributor at the port.

"The Port of Davisville, Rhode Island, located in the Quonset Business Park might just be the biggest small port in the United States," the article reads.  "Like the State of Rhode Island itself, the Port's size relative to larger brethren like New York/New Jersey, belies its real stature as one of the largest ro-ro ports in North America, and one of the very few with land to get even bigger."

Increasing auto volumes and the competitive advantages Davisville can offer were two of the main themes of the AJOT piece.   Evan Matthews, Director at the Port of Davisville, said the Port had a record breaking March both in terms of vessels and units arrived.  This was due in large part to the awful winter weather in the Northeast.   Higher numbers have continued throughout April and May, with the Port already seeing a 20 percent increase in units arriving compared to 2014 figures. The fact that cargo at Davisville is excluded from the federal Harbor Maintenance Tax (0.125%), and has available spaces to handle a significant amount of cargoes at any one time are major reasons for the growth.

Quoting Matthews, the AJOT piece concluded saying, "'We have growth on our minds here,' and that is what Davisville is all about."  To read the full story from the American Journal of Transportation, click here.

As one of the Top Ten auto importers in North America, many of the Port of Davisville's current customers already know how the Port can help grow their business.  No harbor maintenance fee; secure access; no docking delays; its own Foreign Trade Zone (#105); direct intermodal connections; and a brand new 150 MT mobile harbor crane; are just a few of the reasons why so many companies are choosing to ship their goods there. 

But just because business is growing, doesn't mean it's a time for complacency, which is why Evan Matthews has been on the road so much lately.  As the Director of the Port of Davisville, Matthews is not only charged with ensuring things run smoothly at the Port, but he is also the primary person responsible for marketing the Port to potential new customers.  Unlike larger ports such as Seattle or Baltimore that might have several marketing personnel on staff, it's Matthews who is on the road attending major port conferences and exhibitions throughout the year educating manufacturers, shippers, and others about what Davisville can offer.  

"As a smaller port, we face some challenges in needing our director to not only oversee the daily operations but also continue to bring in new business," said Steven J. King, Managing Director of the Quonset Development Corporation, which is responsible for the management of the Port. "That being said, we're not willing to compromise on either.  As our current customers can attest, Evan does a great job in balancing these roles and meeting face to face with them and new business leads at the major industry events throughout the year."  

Last year, Matthews' travels took him across the nation, including Portland, Pensacola, Houston, Washington and Detroit, just to name a few.  Some of the premier events he attended were: Automotive Logistics Global Conference; Finished Vehicle Logistics magazine's Import Export North America Conference; Breakbulk Americas Conference; American Association of Port Authorities Board of Directors Meetings, and; JAXPORT Logistics & Intermodal Conference, among others.  

If you would like to touch base with Evan at the next major industry conference and learn how the Port of Davisville can help your company grow, click here.

Based on a recent study of the economic impacts of seaports on the nation's economy, including the Port of Davisville, there is overwhelming evidence that America's  seaports are critical to economic growth.

In April, Martin Associates, a leading provider of economic and strategic assessments of the world's transportation systems, debuted its 2014 National Economic Impact of the U.S. Coastal Port System report. The study showed the contributions of America's seaports in 2014 equaled $4.6 trillion, or more than one-quarter of the country's economy. Compared to the last time the study was performed (2007), the overall economic impacts of ports increased 43 percent, and jobs generated by port-related activity jumped 74 percent to 23.1 million.

The Port of Davisville, Rhode Island's premiere public port and gateway to markets throughout Southern New England, has also shown evidence of its positive economic impact in the state and the Northeast.  According to a 2013 study by FXM Associates, business output at the Port of Davisville annually accounts for $317 million, supports 1,500 jobs, and provides $93 million in household earnings.  Since 2008, the Port of Davisville's contributions have increased 25% in regard to direct household earnings within the State of Rhode Island.

To learn more about the Port of Davisville, click here.