The Port of San Diego and
Dole Fresh Fruit Co. are expected to sign an unprecedented 24.5-year lease agreement
that covers nearly 955,000 square feet of space at the port’s Tenth Avenue Marine
Terminal and demonstrates Dole’s long-term commitment to the area.
The lease term is unique
because in the past, Dole had typically chosen five- or ten-year renewals at the
port.
Under the terms of the new lease
agreement, the port and Dole are to work together on infrastructure improvements
to improve cargo operations at the port, as well as improve the environment for
the neighboring community.
The port says it plans to
invest about $7 million in shore power equipment at the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal
that will service Dole’s vessels, as required by new California Air Resources Board
regulations. The vessels will use the shore power while berthed at Tenth Avenue
Marine Terminal in order to reduce their diesel emissions.
Another term of the new
lease extends Dole’s operating area to a warehouse offsite of the Tenth Avenue Marine
Terminal, thereby eliminating truck staging and off-terminal operations from nearby
residential areas.
Dole Fresh Fruit is a division
of Dole Food Co., the largest importer of bananas and the second largest importer
of pineapples to North America. The Port of San Diego is Dole’s first stop for fresh
fruit moving into the US from South America. The port receives about 95,000 twenty-foot
containers of Dole fruit each year.
A signing ceremony to commemorate
this historical event will take place after 1 pm Tues., Aug. 14, 2012 at the Port
of San Diego’s administration building.
Dole Fresh Fruit’s Vice
President of Operations, Stuart Jablon, is expected to attend the signing along
with Board of Port Commissioners Chairman Lou Smith.
The signing ceremony is
scheduled to take place immediately after the start of the regular Board of Port
Commissioners meeting. The Board’s expected to vote on the new lease and then recess
to the lobby area to sign the document.
