Shipping
It handles a large amount of containerized traffic, ranking in 2007 as the 23rd busiest U.S. port by container volume, following Gulfport, Mississippi, the 22nd busiest port. The port in 2007 handled 167,413 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) compared with the busiest U.S. port, the Port of Los Angeles, which handled 5,496,716 TEU, over thirty times more volume, the same year. While not listed in a world ranking of ports by container traffic, based on the volume shipped through Philadelphia, it would rank well below the top 100, as the 100th busiest port, Damietta in Egypt, handled 894,000 TEUs, more than five times the number of TEUs as Philadelphia
In terms of cargo tonnage, the port in 2007 ranked 24th behind Pascagoula, Mississippi under that measure of activity. The port in 2007 handled 35.1 million tons of cargo compared to the busiest U.S. port by tonnage, the port of South Louisiana, which handled 229 million tons, over six times the tonnage of Philadelphia, the same year. While not listed in a world ranking of ports by tonnage, based on the tonnage shipped through Philadelphia it would rank as approximately the 120th busiest port in the world.
The port itself claims that it is the #1 perishables port in the United States. The combined ports along the Delaware River, which include Philadelphia and Wilmington together rank #3 in the U.S. for steel imports, and are among the nation’s key entry points for forest products and cocoa.
In the federal 2013 fiscal budget it was confirmed that funds would go towards the dredging of the Delaware River from 40 to 45 feet. This would give larger container vessels access to the Port of Philadelphia. The dredging coincides with the widening of the Panama Canal, and the expected increase in traffic was cited as one key reason in the funding of the dredging project. In light of this the state of Pennsylvania has embarked on a major expansion of the Port of Philadelphia. In 2009 Governor Rendell dedicated $25 million to the Southport expansion project and two teams: Delaware River Stevedores consisting of Carrix Inc. and Ports America Group, Hyundai Merchant Marine America, and SMT Development Partners as the groups involved in the construction and operation of the new facilities.
Read more about this topic: Port Of Philadelphia
Famous quotes containing the word shipping:
“Talk of a divinity in man! Look at the teamster on the highway, wending to market by day or night; does any divinity stir within him? His highest duty to fodder and water his horses! What is his destiny to him compared with the shipping interests?”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“I need not tell you of the inadequacy of the American shipping marine on the Pacific Coast.... For this reason it seems to me that there is no subject to which Congress can better devote its attention in the coming session than the passage of a bill which shall encourage our merchant marine in such a way as to establish American lines directly between New York and the eastern ports and South American ports, and both our Pacific Coast ports and the Orient and the Philippines.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)