The local government has announced plans to spend US$300 million revitalising port facilities in Philadelphia, aimed at more than doubling container capacity for the city.
In fact, the plans for new cranes, warehousing and storage facilities will see container capacity rise by 86%, break bulk by 21% and car handling capacity by 166%.
Of the $300 million, $200 million will go the Pack Avenue Marine Terminal, including the purchase of electric post-Panamax cranes, $12 million will go to Tioga Marine Terminal in Port Richmond and $90 million to expand car handling facilities.
The original 1960s terminal facilities had begun to show their age, but with the new state-backed funding 2,000 new jobs will be creating and Philadelphia will have the freedom to build its waterborne trade activities.
Gerard “Jerry” Sweeney, Chairman of PRPA board, said: “It immediately creates a catalyst to reinvigorate our existing facilities, more than double container capacity, preserve an intermediate term solution for the automotive business – preserving all those jobs at a very good rate of return for the port and expands our 'break bulk' terminal in Tioga.”
In August 2016, PTI reported on the first ever visit by a neo-Panamax vessel to the Port of Philadelphia.
