State, Congressional Leaders Celebrate North Atlantic Distribution’s Newest Auto Processing Facility??
Rhode Island’s State and Congressional leaders gathered to celebrate the opening of North Atlantic Distribution’s (NORAD) newest auto processing facility at the Port of Davisville today.?? Consistently one of the Top 10 auto ports in North America, the Port of Davisville has experienced growth of 547% over the past 20 years and recently announced its sixth consecutive record breaking year for automobiles imported at the Port of Davisville in 2015. The event was attended by many of Rhode Island’s elected leaders, including: Governor Gina M. Raimondo, U.S. Senator Jack Reed, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, U.S. Representative Jim Langevin, U.S. Representative David Cicilline, State Senator Bill Walaska, and others.??
Governor Raimondo included a $90 million proposal in her state budget this year to modernize and upgrade Pier 2 at the Port of Davisville. Built in 1956, the pier had a design life of 50 years.?? The investment would solidify Davisville’s position as the premiere marine commercial gateway to New England, and add an additional 50 years to the pier’s useful life. It would also preserve hundreds of jobs in the maritime sector, create 975 construction jobs, and keep Rhode Island competitive with other ports in the region. ?? “The Port of Davisville is one of our state’s most important assets.?? One of the Top 10 auto importers in North America, the Port marked its 6th consecutive record breaking year of auto imports in 2015,” Governor Raimondo said.
“Davisville is showing the world that Rhode Island may be small, but we are a major player in the global economy. That is why we need to make prudent investments in our infrastructure, and ensure their continued success for the long-term. By leveraging our assets, we can attract more successful companies like NORAD to grow their businesses here, create jobs, and invest in Rhode Island.”