Win Group, a Haitian conglomerate that owns and operates Terminal Varreux in Port-au-Prince situated only five miles from the epicenter of the Jan. 12 earthquake, and Seacor Holdings have launched an emergency response project to enable the crucial marine terminal to resume receiving bulk fuel and containerized cargoes thereby replenishing the stricken country's rapidly dwindling supplies of gasoline, diesel fuel, fuel oil, propane gas and edible oils used for cooking.

Terminal Varreux receives and stores more than 70 percent of Haiti's fuel oil used for power plants, gasoline and diesel used for land-based fueling stations, propane used for multiple applications and edible oils used for cooking. Terminal Varreux has a minimum of 18 large storage tanks with a total capacity of about 45 million gallons.

Terminal Varreux has been unable to unload any tankers since the earthquake destroyed the marine docking facilities and damaged a complex network of steel pipe connecting the marine operation to the tank storage area.

"Seacor has agreed to provide the emergency support we need to return Terminal Varreux to operation in order to help us keep Haiti supplied with critically needed fuel," said Win managing partner Youri Mevs. "Their assistance in getting our marine operation stabilized and back to work, constructing a new temporary section of piping to connect Terminal Varreux's mooring facilities and the usable storage tanks and insuring the safe return of our storage tank operations is invaluable."

He added, "Haiti needs to receive fuel supplies rapidly in order to avoid a shortage that would create panic and hamper the ongoing relief effort. The Haitian government is asking us to secure repairs of the facility as rapidly as possible in order to enable Terminal Varreux to receive supplies and equipment urgently needed in Haiti. While supplies and equipment are crucial, at the end of the day this is about saving lives first and taking care of business later."

Win and Seacor will use a combination of Seacor's maritime, aviation and emergency response resources to support the restoration of the marine operations, repair and construction of the new temporary 200 yard-long section of the piping and the resumption of the storage tank operations.

Earthquake-damaged structures and debris will be removed from the dock area, debris will be removed from vessel traffic areas, collapsed mooring infrastructure will be replaced with temporary capability, new piping will bypass and temporarily replace piping from the dock area to the tank farm, collapsed walls in the tank farm area will be removed from piping for repairs, damaged tanks will be inspected and shifted from service and the terminal will be restored to accept marine fuel transfers before Terminal Varreux and the country run out of fuel. The estimated cost of the emergency project has not been disclosed.

"We are pleased to collaborate with the Win Group and are confident that with Seacor's diverse capabilities, Terminal Varreux will return to operation promptly," said Seacor vice president Eric Fabrikant.