About

History

T. Parker Host, Inc. was founded in 1923 by T. Parker Host, Senior, a life-long maritime leader in Hampton Roads. During the early years of the agency, Hampton Roads and other Virginia ports were primarily involved with bulk and parcel cargoes. Coal, then as now, was a major commodity, followed by grains, scrap, and fertilizers. After World War II, a revitalized European economy stimulated the growth of liner services.

In the late 1940’s, the founder’s son, T. Parker Host, Jr. joined and continued his father’s leadership role. The company then expanded to become a superior port agent for liner services handling all forms of general cargo and eventually representing major container lines. T. Parker Host, Inc. proudly continues to participate in the management of the port’s phenomenal growth.

Assuring third generation management, Tom and David Host, sons of T. Parker Host Jr., joined the company in 1977, and continuing into fourth generation management, David’s son David F. Host, Jr., was appointed Executive Vice President effective October 1, 2011. For almost 90 years, the company has provided professional and competitive service to a wide range of leading shippers and receivers. It handles a variety of import and export commodities throughout the port including grains, fertilizers, chemicals, scrap, and clean and heavy oils. T. Parker Host has also played a key role in coal exports, the major bulk commodity handled by the port. Its managers have assumed the responsibility of being strong outspoken advocates for coal interests.

Continually evolving and expanding with the times, T. Parker Host, Inc. opened its Baltimore, Maryland office in 1986. In June of 1991, T. Parker Host, Inc. joined forces with a partner and formed Amelia Maritime Services in Fernandina Beach, Florida which subsequently opened an additional office in Savannah, Georgia in September, 2010. T. Parker Host, Inc. opened an office on the Delaware River in August 1999, followed by new offices in Wilmington and Morehead City, North Carolina in January of 2007. In September of 2011, T. Parker Host, Inc. announced their growth into the U.S. Gulf with opening offices in Houston, New Orleans and Mobile. With the expansion of ports serviced along the U.S. East Coast and U.S. Gulf Coast, T. Parker Host, Inc. continues to excel with an experienced and knowledgeable team of over 100 employees in 14 locations. Updated with the latest technology, T. Parker Host, Inc. is able to provide an expanded set of services personalized for each of their customers; whether it be importing or exporting, we handle all types of commodities which transit our ports, including coal, crude, grain, minerals, fertilizers, general cargo, frozen poultry, scrap, cement, livestock, cruise lines, tankers (oil and parcel), container lines, and special vessel operations.

T. Parker Host, Inc. is the leading agency service provider and has expanded our unique agency package provided on the East Coast to the U.S. Gulf, to include not only traditional ship agency, but freight forwarding and documentation reporting, cargo supervision and logistical support services, ship representation, and transportation consulting.

Rich in tradition and experience, T. Parker Host, Inc. has earned the respect of terminals, governmental agencies and port authorities, enabling a speedy ship clearance and cargo operation without delays, and the Host organization has diversified to keep pace and better service our customers today and into the future.

• T. PARKER HOST, INC. EXPANDS ITS PRESENCE IN SOUTHEAST REGION

  T. Parker Host, Inc. is pleased to announce the merger of their wholly owned subsidiary Amelia Maritime Services into T. Parker Host Inc.. READ More

• T. Parker Host Acquires New Orleans-based Ship Agency.

  T. Parker Host Inc., a Norfolk-based ship agency and brokerage, has announced the acquisition of NSA Agencies Inc., New Orleans, a ship agency on the Gulf Coast. READ More

• At work with Ned Barham of T. Parker Host Inc.

  I was born in Norfolk in 1955, but grew up in Portsmouth, where I live today. READ More