Jacksonville, Florida-based Crowley Maritime Corp. introduced Monday a further $21 million funding for enhancements and upgrades at its Isla Grande port terminal in San Juan, Puerto in preparation for the arrival of its LNG-powered ConRos in 2017.

The funding comes within the type of a building contract awarded to Del Valle Group, S.P. of Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. The building will contain the enlargement of the terminal’s capability for dealing with refrigerated containers, paving 15 new acres of land to accommodate container stacking, putting in a brand new electrical substation to energy three ship-to-shore gantry cranes, the development of a brand new seven-lane terminal exit, and the set up of {hardware} required for a brand new terminal working software program system.

The contract is the third awarded in relation with Crowley’s funding in its Isla Grande terminal in preparation for the arrival subsequent yr of the primary of Crowley’s two new liquefied pure gasoline (LNG)-powered, Commitment Class ships now underneath building in Pascagoula, Mississippi.

“We are very pleased to have this final contract awarded as part of the transformation of our terminal at Isla Grande,” stated Jose “Pache” Ayala, Crowley vp, Puerto Rico. “The improvements being made to the terminal will provide customers with faster gate times and overall shorter turn times for truckers in and out of the terminal. The overall improved efficiency we will be able to achieve will further enhance the excellent service our customers already receive.”

The terminal design has been developed over the previous yr by Crowley with Harbor Consulting Engineers, Inc., of Seattle, Wash., because the lead design agency for the venture, Wood Harbinger, Inc., of Bellevue, Wash., as electrical engineers and AG Environmental PSC, of San Juan as environmental engineers. Harbor is the Engineer of Record for the venture, offering building supervision providers.

The newest contract follows a $48.5 million building contract in 2015 for a brand new pier on the Isla Grande terminal after an settlement with the Puerto Rico Ports Authority (PRPA) for a 30-year lease extension for the Isla Grande property. That building contract was awarded to L.P.C. & D. Inc., of Las Piedras, Puerto Rico, and consists of the event of a brand new 900-foot-long by 114-foot-wide concrete pier and all related dredging for the Commitment Class ships. Crowley’s terminal enlargement additionally consists of the development and set up of three new ship-to-shore container gantry cranes underneath a separate contract.

“This contract represents the last major contract to be awarded in our half-a-billion-dollar investment in our Puerto Rico Jones Act service,” stated John Hourihan, Crowley senior vp and common supervisor, Puerto Rico. “With construction of both Commitment Class ships well underway, dredging at Isla Grande completed and pile driving operations associated with the pier ongoing, we are definitely beginning to see the results of our investment taking shape.”

Crowley has served the Puerto Rico market from the 75-acre Isla Grande terminal since 1954. With over 250 Puerto Rico workers, Crowley is the number one ocean service between the island commonwealth and the U.S. mainland with extra weekly sailings and extra cargo carried yearly than every other transport line.