NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (AP) - A new director has been chosen to lead the Port of Davisville, a busy port for automobile imports in Rhode Island.

The Quonset Development Corp. says Robert Blackburn will lead the day-to-day operations and management of the port in the Quonset Business Park in North Kingstown.

The corporation says more than 200,000 vehicles were imported there this year, making it one of the top auto importing sites in North America.

Blackburn worked for the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority for more than 23 years, most recently as the senior deputy executive director.

Rhode Island voters approved a bond measure in November to invest $50 million in infrastructure at the Port of Davisville.

The port’s previous director, Evan Matthews, left to become the Connecticut Port Authority’s executive director in September.

Sign up for Daily Newsletters Manage Newsletters

Copyright © 2020 The Washington Times, LLC.