Gov. Perdue tours Port of Morehead City

Morehead City, NC – In her first visit to a North Carolina Port as Governor, Gov. Bev Perdue saw first-hand how North Carolina Ports keep North Carolina working. During a tour of the Port of Morehead City today, the Governor examined natural rubber handled at the Port that is used to produce passenger car and light truck tires at the Goodyear plant in Fayetteville and the Bridgestone/Firestone facility in Wilson.

Rex Edwards, Director of Operations, left, and Tom Eagar, Ports Authority CEO welcomes Gov. Be v Perdue to the Port of Morehead City. Photo by Karen Fox.North Carolina State Ports Authority CEO Thomas J. Eagar conducted the port tour with the Governor. They were accompanied by Ports Authority Board vice chairman Alex G. MacFadyen, Jr., and Board member Mayor Derryl Garner of Newport.

The Port of Morehead City is the nation’s second largest natural rubber importer. Goodyear is the Ports Authority’s largest natural rubber customer. Last month, more than 14 million pounds of natural rubber came through the Port of Morehead City, primarily destined for the company’s Fayetteville plant where 3,000 jobs depend on the Port’s ability to quickly and efficiently handle the cargo.

“North Carolina Ports are the gateways to the global marketplace for our State’s business and industry,” Gov. Perdue said. “Workers throughout the State depend on cargo from our Ports in th e performance of their jobs. Now more than ever our Ports are crucial to North Carolina’s business and economy.”

Last year, the Port of Morehead City handled over 155,000 tons of natural rubber, which is imported from Southeast Asia. The Port also distributes natural rubber to tire manufacturers in Danville, VA, and in other states such as Ohio, New York, Oklahoma and Kansas.

“We appreciate Gov. Perdue’s steadfast support and recognition of the North Carolina Ports as a major economic engine for our State,” Eagar said. “We are looking forward to continued jobs, growth and investment from port-related businesses and global industries for North Carolina as the economy recovers.”