Crowley Ships Multi-Million Dollar Stage and TV Satellite Equipment to and from Puerto Rico for 2001 Miss Universe Pageant

(Jacksonville, Fla.; May 21 2001) – Crowley was carrier of choice for transport of the multi-million-dollar stage set and mobile television satellite equipment used in production of the 50th Anniversary Miss Universe Pageant held recently in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Among items shipped were lighting, audio, rigging and frames for the stage set, as well as satellite TV trucks and other live telecast equipment. The shipment returns stateside today in Jacksonville aboard the Crowley vessel La Reina.

The equipment shipped enabled audiences in 130 different countries and territories around the world to watch the pageant, as Miss Puerto Rico, Denise M. Quinones August, became the 15th Latin American and the fourth Puerto Rican woman to win the coveted title. Supermodels Elle Macpherson and Naomi Campbell hosted the pageant, and international Puerto Rican superstar Ricky Martin also performed.

“One of the most interesting pieces in the shipment was a state-of-the-art $5.5 million digitized trailer containing the director’s console and satellite feed for the broadcast,” said Roger Bell, Crowley’s director of corporate accounts based in Jacksonville. “The trailer was also used a few months back for the telecast of this years Academy Awards ceremony in Hollywood.”

Peter Rolfe of Raycom Media coordinated shipment of all of the production equipment required to telecast the Miss Universe pageant with Crowley through his freight forwarder, Rockit Cargo.

“I knew that Rockit and Crowley were the hands down winners for handling transport of equipment to the Caribbean because of their outstanding reputations,” Rolfe said. “Also, the insurance company said that if we used anyone but Crowley for the shipment, theyd have to rethink our policy.”

Rolfe said it was a pleasure working with Crowley employees.

“Roger Bell went out of his way to come through Charlotte to see me while we were in the planning phase, and really made me feel like he was on my side. I just liked the way Crowley does business,” Rolfe said. “I felt the same way about Jim Gillen and the Crowley staff in Puerto Rico.”

Rockit Cargo, a freight forwarding company that caters to the entertainment industry, has a long history with the Miss Universe Pageant and arranges shipping for equipment of this kind for other live performances and concerts that take place all over the world.

“We needed Ro/Ro capabilities for the move and that made Crowley our carrier of choice,” said Anne-Cecile Croucier, senior account representative with Rockit Cargo. “Also, since everything we ship for our clients is time sensitive, the expertise of Jerry Farnell, Jim Gillen, Carol Gardiner and Gerry Schroeder of Crowley was great in helping us meet our needs.”

Crowley is capable of transporting a wide variety of oversized and overweight cargoes due to the versatility of the nine triple-deck, Ro/Ro barges used in the company’s Puerto Rico services.

“A lot goes into planning a move of this kind. Our in-house engineers analyze all loads exceeding 100,000 pounds to ensure proper weight distribution, and then study the length, width and height of the cargo to determine the best possible stowage location,” said Jim Gillen, Crowley’s director of port operations in Puerto Rico. “Several of the pieces shipped in this move were oversized.”

The flexibility of the Crowley barges allows customers to ship a wide range of oversized cargo, including everything from construction vehicles and equipment, electrical transformers and rapid transit rail cars, to storage tanks and silos, cranes, prefabricated steel structures, and many other types of dimensional equipment. Crowley also has a wide variety of flatbed, lowboy and expandable equipment with which to handle this cargo.

“Many thanks to Crowley for the outstanding service and personal attention,” Rolfe said. “I was impressed by everything about their service right down to the coffee they served me at their terminal in San Juan. Should we have another project in the Caribbean I will definitely give Crowley a call.”

Oakland-based Crowley, founded in 1892, is primarily a family- and employee-owned company mainly engaged in worldwide logistics, liner services, contract towing and transportation, energy support services, ship assist and escort services, vessel management and petroleum and chemical marine transport. Additional information about Crowley its subsidiaries and business units may be found on the Internet at www.crowley.com.

# # #