New facility

Horizon Terminal Services wants space at Port Everglades.

FORT LAUDERDALE — Horizon Terminal Services, an auto shipper and processor, wants to take over a marine terminal and warehouse at Port Everglades that Chiquita Banana vacated in March.

The company said it would invest $450,000 to $750,000 for a new facility that could create up to 25 jobs.

In addition, Horizon said the 6.5-acre location would allow it to double its current average of 40 longshoremen a month needed to handle vessel calls.

Horizon’s existing 5.73-acre site at Port Everglades can handle 15,000 cars and pieces of equipment, but it expects that number to increase to 40,000 to 45,000 over the next five years.

No other port users have expressed a sustained interest in the Chiquita site, according to port officials, who will ask Broward County commissioners today to waive the competitive selection requirements and authorize talks with Horizon.

Any negotiated lease would go back before the Broward commission for required public hearings and approval.

The Chiquita location provides direct access between the cargo yard and the dock, port officials wrote in a report to the county.

The short driving distance between the two areas and the ability to move vehicles without driving on a public road reduces the chances of damage and limits driving miles on the cars’ odometers, officials said.

“This is extremely important, given that autos are quality sensitive cargo which demands extreme care while handling,” Horizon President Per Folkesson wrote to Port Director Steve Cernak.

Folkesson and Cernak both declined interview requests until after the commission vote.

Ellen Kennedy, a spokeswoman for Port Everglades, said the port would receive revenue from the land lease and for each vehicle that comes on and off the ships.

Horizon, based in Ponte Vedra Beach, is a subsidiary of Hoegh Autoliners, a port and terminal operator and auto processor.

Early last year, Horizon bought SC Line/Fast Terminals, which had operated at Port Everglades since 2012.

Horizon’s existing 5.73-acre site at Port Everglades can handle 15,000 cars and pieces of equipment, but it expects that number to increase to 40,000 to 45,000 over the next five years. Any negotiated lease would go back before the Broward commission for required public hearings and approval.