Saltchuck x UPRM Initiative
San Juan, Feb. 6 (EFE) – The company Saltchuk signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (UPRM) to establish the first Center of Excellence in Transportation and Logistics (CETL) on the island and in the Caribbean.
This initiative aims to attract and develop talent focused on the transportation and logistics industry, while promoting long-term economic and social development in Puerto Rico, according to a statement from UPRM released this Thursday.
This is a historic agreement as it represents the largest private financial investment in the university’s history, with an initial investment of 1 million dollars and a promise of up to 10 million over the next 10 years.
“We recognize the need to create academic opportunities for Puerto Rican students to pursue specialized university studies in Transportation and Logistics without having to leave Puerto Rico. We identified the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez as the leading institution capable of making this a reality,” said Mark Tabbutt, president of Saltchuk.
The CETL will encourage academic and technical preparation of a new generation of transportation and logistics leaders to maximize exposure to opportunities and career growth in this sector.
“This partnership with Saltchuk is a historic milestone for the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. By establishing the first Center of Excellence in Transportation and Logistics, we are creating unprecedented opportunities for our students and faculty to innovate, collaborate, and lead in a vital industry,” said Agustín Rullán Toro, rector of UPRM.
The CETL will be located on the Mayagüez campus and will begin operations next semester, focusing on three strategic pillars.
The first is the development of specialized academic programs, including concentrations and graduate degrees, as well as internships and hands-on learning opportunities within the transportation and logistics industry.
The second is conducting research, applied solutions, and technological advances to address the needs of Puerto Rico’s transportation and logistics sector, including disaster resilience, cold chain logistics, and multimodal transportation.
The third pillar is establishing strategic partnerships with industry to foster collaboration and increased interaction between university resources and private sector companies.
Saltchuk has a significant and growing presence in Puerto Rico through its companies TOTE Maritime, Puerto Rico Terminals, Tropical Shipping, Foss Maritime, and StratAir.
TOTE Maritime transports cargo to and from the continental United States on U.S.-flagged vessels; StratAir provides air cargo service to and from South Florida through the Caribbean; and Puerto Rico Terminals operates the island’s largest cargo facilities.
The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (UPRM), also known as ‘El Colegio,’ is the main institution for education in science, technology, engineering, and agriculture in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.
