Honda Coming to Quonset

Honda will begin shipping vehicles to the Port of Davisville in 2014.

  Things are going to be getting a bit busier in the Port of Davisville come 2014. In an announcement Friday afternoon at the port, North Atlantic Distribution, Inc. (NORAD) announced a major expansion of its vehicle shipping business as Honda will begin shipping autos through the part starting next year. “Today’s announcement is another indication of how capitalizing on our assets will bring more business to Rhode Island,” said Governor Lincoln Chafee. “By investing in the infrastructure to modernize the Port and creating an environment where our companies can succeed we are seeing an increase in commerce and economic development that benefits all of Rhode Island.” According to Mike Miranda, president and CEO of NORAD, Honda estimates it …

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Release: Sheehan Reiterates Opposition to Quonset Mega-Container Port

Sen. James Sheehan speaks against creating a mega-container port in Quonset.

The following press release was provided by the Rhode Island General Assembly's press office. Sen. James C. Sheehan (D-Dist. 36, Narragansett, North Kingstown), who led the battle against a mega-container port, stated that aside from quality of life issues, a mega-container port is undesirable because it is not economically viable.  Senator Sheehan, who also served on a recent legislative commission studying port development in the state, said "the idea of building a mega-container port has long since set sail. Rhode Island lacks the resources as well as a deep pocketed private partner to seriously consider a mega-container port at Quonset.  Further, such a partner is unlikely due to the aggressive build-out of competitor ports up and down…

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From The Editor's Desk

VIDEO: "Hawk's" Eye View of Quonset

Check out a different view of the Quonset Air Show and North Kingstown from aboard a Blackhawk helicopter.

Living only a few miles from Quonset Point for most of my life, I've grown accustomed to seeing Blackhawk helicopters in the skies above my house. I've probably seen hundreds in my life – and craned my neck to watch each one t fly over my head. (For some reason, it never gets old for me.) For years I wondered, what would it be like to look down from one of those rather than look up? Well, Friday afternoon I finally got my chance to do that after the fine folks at the Rhode Island National Guard allowed my colleague (Coventry Patch Editor Lauren Costa) and me take a ride on one. My conclusion: Rhode Island looks remarkable from the sky. Here's our bird's eye (or perhaps Blackhawk's eye) view of the air show and surrounding areas (including …

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Mobile Crane Arrives at Port of Davisville

A 126-foot-tall crane arrived Friday at the Port of Davisville.

The Port of Davisville welcomed its newest addition on Friday – a 126-foot-tall harbor crane. Gov. Lincoln Chafee joined Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse at the port as the new piece of equipment arrived. Officials hope the crane will help bring more business to Quonset Point, where the port is located. The $4-million crane is capable of lifting up to 140 metric tons and was purchased using federal funds. “Today is a good day for Quonset and the future of Rhode Island. This extraordinary new piece of equipment will help us create more jobs and bring more business to our state and to our residents,” said Governor Chafee.  “This will ensure that Quonset Business Park continues to be the economic engine of growth that we need, and …

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RI General Assembly OKs Dredging at Port of Davisville

State lawmakers have approved a $7.5 million plan to dredge Quonset's Port of Davisville.

Chafee: Davisville Now Among Largest Auto Importers in North America

The Port of Davisville has moved up in the rankings and is now the seventh largest auto importer in North America.

Gov. Lincoln Chafee announced that the Port of Davisville has moved up and is now the seventh largest auto importer in North America. Based on 2011 figures, 150,000 vehicles were imported via the port while another 41,000 came by rail. Located inside the Quonset Business Park, the port was initially used by the military during World War II and is the original home to the Navy’s Construction Battalion — more commonly known as the Seabees. “The Port of Davisville — as well as the entire Quonset Business Park — is one of Rhode Island’s key assets,” said Chafee. “Last year’s results put us ahead of Boston, Halifax, Philadelphia, Norfolk, Charlestown, Seattle — among others — as one of the premier auto ports on the continent.” Most vehicles …

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Davisville Could Become Destination for Cargo Barges [poll]

Twelve state legislators are proposing that the ports at Davisville and Providence could become hubs for cargo barges.

A dozen state legislators are recommending the ports of Davisville and Providence could take larger roles in the East Coast shipping industry. A Port Commission of state representatives released a report Tuesday, suggesting that the two Rhode Island parts could become destinations for cargo barges if shipping lanes are properly dredged. The commission recommends that the state issue roughly $7.5 million bonds to dredge Davisville and the shipping lane between Quonset and Jamestown. According to the report, Rhode Island (which once hosted one of the most prosperous commercial centers in colonial times and grew once again during World War II) has "fallen well behind" other states along the Atlantic coast in terms of port and maritime …

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Okeanos Becomes North Kingstown's Newest Resident [video]

The deep-sea exploration vessel will call North Kingstown home for the next decade.

Past the sea of Porsches, Audis and other vehicles along Davisville Road, Quonset welcomed its newest tenant to the Port of Davisville – the Okeanos Explorer. The 224-foot vessel is National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminstration’s (NOAA) newest ship and is one of the most technologically advanced in the country, designed to investigate and explore the deepest portions of the ocean floor. Since its commission in 2009, the vessel has mapped areas of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans and even discovered a new vent field in the Galapagos area. Starting this month, Okeanos will call the Port of Davisville home for the next decade. Dr. Jane Lubchenco, an administrator with NOAA, described the Okeanos as “nation’s first vessel and only …

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