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30 THE JOURNAL OF COMMERCE www.joc.com JULY 2016 transformer shipments this calendar year have further increased volumes. Projecting the next two to five years for breakbulks, Camp said, "Of course, we are hoping for a continuation of the growth we've been experiencing, but much of that is dictated by underlying economic conditions that are out of our control. For our part, we will continue to work with our partners and the shippers to make sure their current needs are being met and identify what types of investments are needed to realize new business." The characteristics of a viable breakbulk hub remain unchanged: location, velocity to market, a diverse steamship roster, shore facilities and productive labor. If a port falls short in any of these areas, shippers and their carriers will quickly identify a better option elsewhere. Tyndal believes Brownsville qualifies on all fronts. "The Port of Brownsville is the only deepwater seaport on the U.S.-Mexico border. There are 10 million consumers within a three-hour drive from the port on both sides of the border. We offer multiple modes of transportation including oceangoing vessels, all major U.S. and Mexican truck lines, rail service, barge service via the U.S. intracoastal and inland waterway system, short-sea shipping via the M-10 Marine Highway, pipeline access to U.S. and Mexican terminals, and air freight service at the Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport," he said. For an ocean carrier, port choice has always revolved around freight offerings. In the case of SCM Lines, oil equipment destined for Venezuela made Houston the logical choice. "We look for shore cranes to supplement our ship's gear. In Palua, Venezuela, we have access to a 400-ton-capacity shore crane to help with heavier lifts. We also look for professional workers and heavy hauling capability to complete the inland deliveries," Valera said. In Venezuela, SCM supplements its delivery capabilities by utilizing a barge service that affords access to remote sites lacking appropriate roads. "Jaxport has an ideal geographic location to service a large import SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF THE JOURNAL OF COMMERCE A s a pioneer unit of The National Ship- ping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri) with more than 35 years of history, Bahri General Cargo is one of the very few marine transportation companies offering a full liner service between North America and the Middle East. Operating six modern multipurpose vessels – four vessels connecting the United States, the Kingdom of Saudi Ara- bia and major ports in the Gulf, Indian subcontinent and Mediter- ranean, and two vessels connect- ing Europe to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and key ports in the Gulf and Mediterranean – Bahri General Cargo views itself as a niche carrier focusing on optimal cargo mix while specializing in "underdeck" storage capability. The general cargo sector also manages a container service yard facil- ity at Jeddah Islamic port in Saudi Arabia to handle its containers, and has invested in a new IT system to integrate ports, agents and offices to provide superior customer services. A vast network of offices and agents located around the globe facilitates the variety of services Bahri General Cargo provides to its clients. The National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri), was formed by a royal decree in 1978 as a public company with 22.5 percent ownership held by the Public Investment Fund "PIF" of the Saudi govern- ment, 20 percent by Saudi Aramco Develop- ment Co., and the remainder widely held in public shares by Saudi nationals. Bahri has grown from a small shipping firm operating multipurpose vessels into one of the biggest shipping conglomerates in the world, and it occupies a preeminent position among its industry peers at national, regional and inter- national levels in all sectors of its business operations. Marching past its 35-year mark, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's first national carrier has generated a strong V.I.P. customer base. During the course of its diversification, the company's services have been expanded to include transportation of general cargo, crude oil, chemical, liquefied petroleum gas and dry bulk. Having initially begun its opera- tions strictly for transporting general cargo and containers, Bahri – with its extensive track record – has garnered a reputation for providing a superior level of service to customers in all sectors. ■ DRIVING EXCELLENCE IN GLOBAL LOGISTICS The characteristics of a viable breakbulk hub remain unchanged: location, velocity to market, a diverse steamship roster, shore facilities and productive labor.