Port of Tampa cement customer Extends Humanitarian Aid to Haiti
Photos of the humanitarian supply loading effort courtesy of Cementos Andino
TAMPA, Fla.—The Tampa Port Authority is pleased to announce that one of its major cement and aggregate tenants, Andino Cements USA, LLC (subsidiary of Cementos Andino Dominicanos), engaged in humanitarian efforts to bring critical relief to the people of earthquake-ravaged Haiti, January 18—20.
Because of damaged, unusable port facilities at Port-au-Prince, Dominican Republic-based Cementos Andino opened its port terminal to accommodate ships bringing relief supplies and provide for a staging location for loading of the goods onto a barge, subsequently destined for Jacmel, southwest of Port-au-Prince. More than 300 of the company’s own employees helped to load food, water and supplies onto a barge from the D.R. to neighboring Haiti. Some employees contributed money toward the purchase of supplies. The relief effort also involved participation from the Red Cross, United Nations and World Bank.
“We are very gratified to help our friends in Haiti during this horrific and historic time,” Agustin Restrepo, director of business development for Andino Cements USA, said. “The nation’s people have suffered beyond imagination, and it is our calling to help in this desperate time.”
The company’s efforts have already been recognized by the Dominican Republic’s government as a significant gesture of good will and kindness.