Rail supplier news from Ceres, Harris & Williams, Beacon Rail and Duos Technologies (May 16)

The Jacksonville Port Authority and Ceres Terminals Inc. last week signed an operator agreement for the port's new on-dock rail facility, which is also known as the intermodal container transfer facility at Dames Point in Jacksonville, Fla. Ceres will manage the  operations and maintenance of the terminal, with commercial container operations slated to begin in August. JAXPORT's new facility serves its north side terminals, such as TraPac Container Terminal at Dames Point and the Blount Island Marine Terminal. The direct transfer of containers between vessels and trains helps to speed up the shipment process and reduce the number of trucks on the road, port officials said in a press release.

Harris & Williams Co. has announced the pending sale of Direct ChassisLink Inc. (DCLI) to private equity group EQT Infrastructure II. Harris & Williams is serving as the adviser to DCLI, which is a provider of equipment and asset management services to the U.S. intermodal industry. The company was formed in 1974 as Maersk Equipment Services Co. and was operated as a subsidiary of Maersk until early 2012.

Beacon Rail Leasing has entered into an agreement to acquire Ascendos Rail Leasing, a European locomotive and rolling stock leasing company. The completion of the transaction is subject to customary conditions, including clearance with the German competition authorities, Beacon Rail officials said in a press release. The transaction is expected to be completed in the second quarter. Headquartered in Luxembourg, Ascendos' portfolio includes 35 locomotives and 100 freight cars on lease in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, along with 35 passenger trains on lease in Germany and 67 double-decker coaches in Denmark.

Duos Technologies Group Inc.'s information technology (IT) services division has entered into a strategic alliance with Atlantix Global Systems, which is a reseller of enterprise-class equipment. The agreement calls for the two companies to refer business opportunities to one another with the intention of developing additional revenue opportunities in their respective markets. The pact allows Duos Technologies to "deliver additional value" to its clients by providing a way to re-deploy assets that are identified as redundant, said Duos Technologies Senior Vice President of IT Services Joe Coschera in a press release.