Wilmington Port Improvements will be Good for Bananas

Wilmington Port Improvements will be Good for Bananas

DSCN3240+1+1North America’s leader in banana imports and other fresh fruits and juice concentrates, is doubling its contingent of ship-to-shore gantry cranes and renovating antiquated berths near the mouth of the Christina River.   The Port of Wilmington  also is examining long-term prospects for new terminal development on the Delaware River.

AECOM has been contracted by The Delaware State Port Corp. (DSCP) to develop a master plan including examination of potential future port development along the Delaware River.  The primary site currently under consideration is located  just south of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the twin spans that carries Interstate 295 over the river.

A $24 million contract has been signed by DSPC to have two new rail-mounted gantries in operation by the end of 2016, to join the two cranes already on rails that are to be extended to serve Christina River berths 1 through 5.  The port’s 100-ton-capacity Gottwald mobile harbor crane would then be able to be moved to Berth 7.

Additionally, a $10 million grant via the USDOT’s Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery competitive grant program is being used to kick-start rebuilding of berths 5 and 6, which date back to the founding of the Port of Wilmington back in 1923.

The depth at the Christina River berths is nearly maxed out at 38 feet, even with twice-a-year dredging.

Thus, although fruit operations benefit from the industry-leading 800,000 square feet of on-dock temperature-controlled warehouse space at the Christina River terminal plus additional nearby nonunion chilled facilities.  Future plans call for  development along the Delaware River, where a project for channel deepening to 45 feet is nearing completion.