First new Delaware River marine terminal in 50 years By Peter A. Buxbaum, AJOT The South Jersey Port Corporation is continuing with its strategy to attract breakbulk cargoes with the development of a new terminal at Paulsboro, Gloucester County, New Jersey. The Delaware River port is about to entertain bids for the construction of the terminal, which has been on the drawing boards since 2005, and which will be the first new marine terminal in 50 years on the Delaware River. About $65 million in contracts will be awarded this year for the work. Already, $70 million has been awarded to clear the site, construct a retaining wall and dredge the river to deepen it to a depth of 40 feet. The terminal is being developed jointly with the the Gloucester County Improvement Authority and is said to the biggest economic improvement project ever undertaken in this history of that county. The State of New Jersey is contributing $200 million toward the project. Last month, the South Jersey Port Corporation issued $58 million in bonds, a portion of the proceeds of which will help finance the Paulsboro project. The South Jersey Port Corporation is already known for its handling of breakbulk cargoes. The port handles fresh produce, wood and steel products, as well as cocoa beans. Current port tenants include Del Monte Fresh Fruit, receives two to three ships per week at the port and annually ships over 30 million cases of fresh produce; St. Lawrence Cement, which imports, processes, and distributes its products at the port; Camden Yards Steel, an importer and processor of foreign steel; and Camden Iron & Metal, a scrap metal recycler. The port also has hosted since 1993 the Camden International Commodities Terminal which has developed a major cocoa bean importation and distribution operation. Last year the port handled the single largest load of cocoa beans, at 18,661 metric tons, ever shipped out of West Africa. The new 190-acre Paulsboro Marine Terminal, six miles south of Camden, will include a 2,350 ft long ship berth to accommodate three breakbulk ships, a 44-acre forest products storage area and five transit buildings, a 52-acre metal scrap storage and steel shredder facility, and 16-acres of wheeled cargo storage. Planned future expansion of the terminal could include three additional berths. The need for the Paulsboro development arose as Camden’s two marine terminals came operate at capacity and over-capacity, but with no have nearby room to grow. “We’re turning ships and cargo away and that means we’re turning away jobs, economic opportunity and business,” said Kevin Castagnola, executive director of the South Jersey Port Corporation. “There is no room to grow in Camden so we’re expanding into Paulsboro. We will turn a defunct industrial site into a modern port and industrial park with a potential to serve thousands of jobs.” The site of the Port of Paulsboro was leased to the Borough of Paulsboro through British Petroleum. The Gloucester County Improvement Authority is acting as the developer and is overseeing the design and construction of terminal. The county is also constructing an access road from Interstate Highway 295, a major north-south route, which will allow trucks to flow in and out of the port without having to traverse municipal thoroughfares. A $15.7 million contracts for the construction of an access road and overpass bridge and a $48 million contract for dredging and site preparation activities were awarded last year. “For decades I had yearned to see the South Jersey Port Corporation expand its job-creating operations by incremental expansion from Camden County into Gloucester County,” said Castagnola. “Where others saw two derelict tank farms sitting on 150 acres on Paulsboro shores of the Delaware River, we saw an opportunity to create jobs and to energize the economy of South Jersey. What started as an informal alliance between the State of New Jersey and Gloucester County has become a formal and productive partnership between the South Jersey Port Corporation and t