Ship Philly First President Fred Sorbello said the organization’s mission is a simple one – promote the port, thereby increasing opportunities for everyone who does business along the Delaware River.
“There are no dinners, no fundraisers, no golf outings,” said Sorbello, who is president of Mullica Hill Cold Storage. “It’s about getting down to business.”
Ship Philly First’s mission statement is: A group of unified businesses dedicated to the promotion and marketing of the Port of Philadelphia as a World Class Gateway for Imports and Exports that support all trades.
Sorbello said the idea for Ship First Philly developed about 18 months ago when he and representatives from Holt Logistics approached the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority about advertising the port in trade publications such as the Journal of Commerce. When they realized that advertising dollars were scarce, the idea for a coalition was formed.
“We need to look at the big picture,” Sorbello said, noting that each company was only marketing itself individually. “We need to get the business here, and we need to work together to do it. After that, we can internally compete for it.”
Ship Philly First formed in February with six members and quickly grew to 15, at which time new membership was temporarily halted. Each member contributed $2,500 to get the organization off the ground. Since then, Ship First Philly has hired a marketing firm to develop a Web site (www.shipphillyfirst.com), advertising and trade show promotional items. An advertisement promoting the Port ran in the Feb. 21 issue of the Journal of Commerce.
The organization plans to open up for new members shortly, with Sorbello hoping to reach 50 members – including enhanced working relationships local governments and steamship lines – within two years.
Thomas J. Holt Jr., President of Astro Holdings, Inc., which leases PAMT under a long-term concession with the PRPA, said the organization will tout as selling points the Port’s 300-year history, its status as one of the United States’ Strategic Military Ports, the upcoming dredging of the Delaware River, efforts to acquire and develop the Southport Marine Terminal, and its status as having the largest refrigerated capacity in the nation – a major advantage in the competition for handling and repacking perishable products.
Holt said the creation of Ship Philly First represents a major philosophical change for entities at the port.
“It used to be every man for himself,” he said. “But we’ve realized we’re all in this together, and there are many similarities. Most of our members are family-owned and operated and have been in business for generations. This is a game changer for the Delaware River business community. This is one united message from the major port, warehousing and trucking providers in the region. That message is: We want your business here and we will work together to ensure that you receive unmatched service and attention. We all understand the needs of our clients.”
