After investing $1 billion and changing its name from the Port of Philadelphia to PhilaPort in 2017, the port had a record year for containerized cargo activity — a success the port is prepared to repeat.
“We see an awakening by BCOs (beneficial cargo owners) and lines that ports like ours can be an alternative to some of the mainstream ports,” Sean Mahoney, PhilaPort marketing director, said. “It’s not just from a savings standpoint but a risk management standpoint of not putting all your eggs in one basket. They’re seeing PhilaPort as a real viable alternative.”
Investments include two new super-post-Panamax gantries cranes, the retrofit of existing cranes to handle heavier loads, upgrading the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal’s infrastructure, and purchasing of a 29-acre property near the terminal.
This spring, the $300 million dredging of PhilaPort is expected to be completed. The 10-year- long project deepened the Delaware River’s 102.5-mile-long main channel from 40 feet to 45 feet.
The deepening will allow PhilaPort to accept more cargo destined for East Coast cities as well as cities in the Midwest.
Even though the project is not yet completed, last month the port welcomed its largest containership with a capacity of nearly 12,000 20-foot-equivalent container units.