Port of Tucson

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The Port of Tucson (POT) is a Dry port, or inland intermodal facility, located in Tucson, AZ.

Port of Tucson
Company typePrivate
IndustryTransportation
Founded1986
FounderAlan Levin
Headquarters6964 E Century Park Drive Tucson, AZ 85756
Area served
Arizona
Key people
  • Mike Levin (VP of Commercial Real Estate)
  • Matt Levin (VP of Operations)
  • Stefan Baumann (Director of Business Development)
OwnerLevin Family
Number of employees
28 (2018)
Map
Click on the map for a fullscreen view
Location
CountryUnited States
LocationTucson, AZ
Coordinates32°07′35″N 110°50′59″W / 32.1263187°N 110.8496856°W / 32.1263187; -110.8496856
Details
Opened2004
Land area767 acres (3.10 km2)
Statistics
Website
http://portoftucson.com/

History

Beginnings

Alan Levin, the owner, founded the company in 1986,[1] began purchasing property around the area of the current POT in the 1990s, and the port began operations in 2004.[2][3]

International Expansion

In April 2013, the port completed a $19 million dollar[2] infrastructure investment to be able to ship and receive international intermodal containers.[3] The expansion includes the installation of 20,000 feet of new rail purchased from Union Pacific. This will give the POT the ability to handle intermodal unit trains of 60-100 cars.[2] This upgrade allows containers to be unloaded from a ship at the Port of LA or Port of Long Beach, shipped via train directly to the POT, and then unloaded for local or regional delivery. This direct rail service capability should reduce truck traffic on I-10 between LA and Tucson.[3]

On May 31st 2013, at a press event featuring local business leaders and government officials, the first international container was delivered. It contained Chinese pottery that had passed through the Port of Long Beach.[1][4]

The port also acts as a Foreign Trade Zone where international goods can pass through the port without being subject to taxes or tarrifs. This allows the port to facilitate the exportation of produce grown in Mexico that is then shipped to other countries. An example of this is Kabocha, a squash that is popular in Japan. The squash is grown in Mexico, is trucked into the US through the Nogales-Mariposa port of entry, loaded into international sized containers at the POT, and then sent by rail to a US port for shipping to Japan.[3] The port expects a significant portion of the inbound traffic will come from the Port of Guaymas in Sonora, MX as it is aggressively expanding.[1][5]

In September 2013, the port successfully shipped its first export for Azmira, a pet food company, with delivery to Japan. The ability to export directly was major gain for the company as they are now able to get empty containers from the POT and send shipments without having a driver make the trip to the Port of LA. Further, by moving from trucking to rail service the company is able to move from 40,000 pounds to 55,000 pounds per container.[6]

Produce Development

In 2015, the POT constructed additonal cold storage space to further enhance their on site food handling capabilities.[7]

Service Improvements

In May of 2015, the port along with Union Pacific announced improvements made possible though a grant.[8][9]

Amazon Move-In

In 2018, Amazon announced that they would be building a new distribution facility on site at the POT,[10] though speculation has swirled prior to the announcement.[11] The facility opened in 2019.[12]

Rolling Stock

The Port of Tucson maintains several EMD locomotives for switching the industries on site.

Model Number Year Built Previous Owner(s) Notes
GP28 1827 1964 Ex-KYLE 1827/IRRC 9432, IC 9432
GP30 2200 1963 Ex-KYLE 2200/CR 2200/PC 2200/PRR 2200
2210 1977 Ex-KYLE 2210/CR 2210/PC 2210/PRR 2210

References

  1. ^ a b c Rico, Gabriela (2013-06-01). "Port here now servicing international rail cargo". Arizona Daily Star. Archived from the original on 2024-07-05. Retrieved 2024-07-06.
  2. ^ a b c Yohem, Roger (2012-06-01). "Port of Tucson goes global, to ship directly to China". Inside Tucson Business. Archived from the original on 2024-07-08. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  3. ^ a b c d McNamara, Patrick (2013-04-19). "Port of Tucson is ready to set to sea". Inside Tucson Business. Archived from the original on 2024-07-05. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
  4. ^ "Port of Tucson celebrates milestone". Inside Tucson Business. 2013-06-07. Archived from the original on 2024-07-05. Retrieved 2024-07-06.
  5. ^ Rico, Gabriela (2013-11-24). "Port of Guaymas set to double its capacity, seeks Arizona ties". Arizona Daily Star. Archived from the original on 2024-07-05. Retrieved 2024-07-06.
  6. ^ Rico, Gabriela (2013-09-29). "Tucson's first rail export headed to Japan". Arizona Daily Star. Archived from the original on 2024-07-05. Retrieved 2024-07-06.
  7. ^ "Port of Tucson to open reefer rail facility this summer". The Produce News. 2015-03-13. Retrieved 2024-07-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ "Port of Tucson to unveil improvements that could spur economic development in Tucson". 13 News. 2016-05-12. Archived from the original on 2023-10-19. Retrieved 2024-07-06.
  9. ^ "Port of Tucson Improvements Support Business Growth". Union Pacific. 2016-05-13. Archived from the original on 2022-03-09. Retrieved 2024-07-06.
  10. ^ Rico, Gabriela (2018-10-06). "Amazon brings renewed attention to Port of Tucson facility". Arizona Daily Star. Archived from the original on 2021-12-04. Retrieved 2024-07-06.
  11. ^ Rico, Gabriela (2018-03-17). "Huge warehouse project could add up to 1,500 jobs at Port of Tucson". Arizona Daily Star. Archived from the original on 2021-12-04. Retrieved 2024-07-06.
  12. ^ Gonzales, Jay (2020-01-05). "Port of Tucson – A Logistics Gem". Biz Tucson. Archived from the original on 2023-12-08. Retrieved 2024-07-05.


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