Avalon Freight Services, a new firm formed from a partnership between Los Angeles passenger ferry company Catalina Express and Seattle tug and barge operator Harley Marine, announced the April 1 debut of their freight services on Wednesday.

The partnership grew out of a request-for-proposal for freight providers from Santa Catalina Island Co., which owns the Pebbly Beach freight facility in Avalon.

Avalon Freight Services co-founder and President Greg Bombard said he saw the RFP as an inroad to expanding his company’s market reach by creating a new entity with a partner well-established in logistics.

“We were looking to partner with a company that was fluent in tug and barge operations and had a solid reputation in this market,” said Bombard. “We knew our companies would be a nice match between the location of our mainland base at the Port of Los Angeles and our knowing the Catalina Island area. Santa Catalina Island Company agreed.”

The service will operate a minimum of five days a week throughout the year and transport freight between Berth 95 in San Pedro and Avalon.