BVCOCT

34 35 CARGO EXPRESS SERVICES LIMITED global shipping company tomeet the needs of the Turks&Caicos Islands.He explains,“Back then,it was just mom-and-pop shipping companies coming from mainland Florida to the Islands with small feeder ves- sels,where you offloaded cargo on pallets using small derrycranes.The cargowas put into small ship holds and often arrived in bad condition–parcels crushed, or vehicles full of salt water after being exposed to the atmosphere during the voyage fromFlorida.” Simmons secured a partnership between his compa- ny,CES,andTropical Shipping to offer Turks&Caicos modernized,professional container shipping.Tropical Shipping has been serving the Caribbean for over 50 years but,back in the‘90s,Turks&Caicos was not on their schedule.Simmons describes the relationship, “I’m the sole owner of CES–which is alsomy initials, Carl Edward Simmons.I started Cargo Express Services Limited as a locally registered agencybusiness,be- cause inTurks and Caicos you need agents to represent a foreign carrier.After much negotiation,Tropical Ship- ping agreed to take us on as their agent,and 21 years later we are still representing them inTurks&Caicos.” Their first scheduled vessel (Tropic Flyer) arrived at the port of Providenciales fromWest PalmBeach on April 1,1996,loadedwith seven containers,forming five percent of the total market imports at the time. The other 95 percent belonged to competitors who had provided shipping services to the trade for several years. Thanks to positive economicgrowth on the Islands, CES expanded services to GrandTurk in 1988,and South Caicos in 2001.An 8400-square-foot bond- edwarehouse facilitywas constructed in 2000 in Providenciales,and full-time staff increased to eight employees.By2004,thewarehouse grewto 14,400 square feet.Four years later,Cargo Express Services CAIRSEA SERVICES LTD. IS MORE THAN SIMPLY A FREIGHT COMPANY. The Cairsea story begins with a true passion for trade and adventure that began in 1974 and morphed into the business it is known as today. A core element of Cairsea’s mission is its desire to be an integral part of the growth and development of Turks & Caicos. Cairsea’s history is rich with a unique narrative that has developed from more than 30 years of working alongside charismatic locals and visionary developers, all of whom passionately believe in sharing the islands’ beauty with the world. With an on-the-ground presence in Providenciales since 1983, Cairsea maintains a broad understanding of the islands’ commerce and logistics needs. Cairsea has been there since the earliest stages of tourism development, building relationships that work best to speedily and meticulously service the area’s continuously growing needs. Through the transportation of goods and equipment, the islands’ story continues to grow and unfold, and the entire Cairsea team takes great pride in contributing its specific piece to the puzzle of building life as it is now known on Turks & Caicos. Cairsea has been there to facilitate the demand for growth, always leading with logic and service, while remaining true to its deep love of both the islands and their exceptional residents.