ACL Bahamas route axed

By YASMIN POPESCU

FN Reporter

yasmin@nasguard.com

Management at the American Caribbean Lines Inc. have confirmed their Bahamas route has been axed.

According to one of the owners Ken Roberts, the international company has not closed but they have lost too much money in this region and have consequently closed shop in Grand Bahama and in Nassau.

ACL is a Florida-based company which ships goods to Grand Bahama and to Nassau.

Five people will lose their jobs in Grand Bahama, with seven or eight in Nassau.

It was noted previously that earlier this year the company had raised their shipping fees in Nassau, but this did not make the changes they had hoped.

In that report, ACL explained the increase in prices were "necessary to cover the increased costs to the carrier associated with moving from a private terminal to Arawak Cay."

At that time, the shipping company said effective March 31, 2012, the port surcharge will be $200 for a 20 t container, $350 for a 40ft container, and $400 for 4ft and larger containers.

Roberts said that the company is presently looking for new routes to travel which they are hoping will be more profitable.

For those customers who are still awaiting shipment of goods, they are advised to have their packages picked up from the Florida ACL location and re-assign their shipping companies.

Nothing was said about whether the persons will be reimbursed for this inconvenience.

ACL Bahamas closed on Friday July 13 without a word to the employees, according to reports from some of the local employees.

Some said they heard rumours of the closure but they were not in a position to confirm.

© 2012 The Freeport News