PhilaPort Awaits for Container Cranes

The M/V Zhen Hua 25 departed Shanghai, China last month with two new super post-Panamax container cranes bound for South Philadelphia.

The two behemoths will navigate a lengthy global trek before reaching the Delaware River for an expected mid-March arrival to the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal, said a press note from the Port of Philadelphia.

"The arrival will mark another important milestone in the comprehensive modernization project underway at Packer, and highlights a key competitive advantage for shippers looking to improve time to market on the East Coast of the United States," it said.

“Our terminal is currently under capacity, meaning we could handle rerouted surplus bound for nearby congested terminals immediately without blinking an eye,” said David Whene, President of Greenwich Terminals, operator of the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal.

“With ship productivity as high as 140 gross moves per hour, turn-times of under 40-minutes, and an abundance of available chassis, Packer Avenue offers carriers unparalleled efficiency in reaching the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond,” David added.

Boasting a $300 million public-private investment, the Packer Avenue Terminal is quickly becoming a model of 21st century port operations. The forthcoming completion of the Delaware River Deepening Project will provide a full 45-foot shipping channel through Philadelphia, allowing vessels as large as 14,500 TEUs —among the largest in the world— to traverse into the Port.

PhilaPort has seen 166 percent container growth in the last decade and has broken all previous records in 2018 by handling 600,000 TEUs. The surge in cargo volume is welcomed and PhilaPort’s Packer Avenue Marine Terminal is ready to take its position as one of the premier cargo gateways in the United States.