Dole Fresh Fruit Company is reportedly considering shifting some of its banana import business in the US from the Port of Wilmington across the Delaware river to Paulsboro in New Jersey.
According to local media reports, the fresh fruit giant is mulling relocating one ship a week, or 3.4bn bananas a year, to a new port currently under construction on 190 aces in Paulsboro.
If the deal goes ahead, Paulsboro would apparently gain 100-120 direct jobs as well as the trucking and related businesses catering to the fresh fruit trade.
New Jersey has offered Dole tax-incentive credits if it brings jobs to the Garden State, Stuart Jablon, Dole vice-president of operations told media.
“We're in the process of evaluating both alternatives,” Jablon said. “They do a good job for us. But at the same time, Paulsboro is willing to build us a brand-new port with all the bells and whistles that new ports have.”
Wilmington, meanwhile, has a 30-year history with Dole and currently handles 65m bananas for the company each week.
Wilmington is the world’s second-largest banana hub and the number one port for perishable cargo in the US.
Dole, whose current lease at Wilmington expires in December 2015, is expected to make its decision by early September.
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