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American Journal of Transportation
American Journal of Transportation  
ajot.com
attracting a direct ocean con-
tainer service with Asia.  We 
already have good intermodal 
connections with CSX to the 
Midwest, and CN to Mon-
treal and Toronto,” O’Brien 
said. “We are proud of the 
growth and are continuing 
to invest in future success. 
This momentum is driven by 
steamship lines and import-
ers recognizing the capacity, 
productivity, and efficiency 
of Packer Avenue Marine Ter-
minal (PAMT), operated by 
Greenwich Terminals LLC, 
compared to other East Coast 
ports. It is also a direct result of 
the hard work and dedication 
of the entire port community 
and its stakeholders. Pennsyl-
vania’s public-private part-
nership is working—bringing 
people together to improve, 
invest, and drive growth. It’s 
a true success story. The Com-
monwealth must continue to 
invest in the port to fuel job 
creation and economic activ-
ity for both the state and the 
city of Philadelphia.”
PhilaPort is also ready 
for the growing cold chain 
needs of the health sciences 
industry. Derstine’s Inc. has 
a new pharmaceutical ware-
house in Sellersville, PA and 
several new ocean container 
services initiated by MSC, 
Maersk, Hapag Lloyd and 
CMA CGM coupled with 
more than $5 billion in new 
life sciences/pharma invest-
ments in the Delaware Valley 
give officials confidence the 
port can significantly grow 
pharma cargoes.  
“As you know, pharma 
cargoes traditionally move 
by air. However, given Phi-
laPort’s efficiency and cold 
cargo expertise, we see a 
transition from air to ocean 
for pharma companies and 
associated businesses look-
ing for more cost-effective 
supply chains,” O’Brien said. 
“The new PhilaPort Distri-
bution Center – Cold (PDC-
Cold) will further increase 
our refrigerated and freezer 
capacity near-dock for other 
cold cargoes.  New reefer 
plugs at several inland ware-
houses add to our refrigerated 
and freezer assets.”
And PhilaPort continues to 
strengthen its core perishable 
business. Last year, $7.1 bil-
lion in produce came through 
Greater 
Philadelphia 
ports 
while $20.4 billion in total food 
moved through the region.  
“The reduced tariffs on 
food products certainly helps,” 
O’Brien said.  “The US con-
sumer wants fresh, healthy 
foods year-round, and we are 
the best port to provide that.”
A quick rundown of Phi-
laPort perishable highlights:
Argentina:  This global ag 
powerhouse recently received a 
much larger beef “preferential 
access quota,” to the United 
States of 80,000 pounds.  Phi-
laPort is Argentina’s #1 port in 
the United States for beef, and 
it expects the quota to increase 
business.  
The Mediterranean:  MSC’s 
new PhilaPort container service 
offers access to the ports of 
Aliağa, Tekirdag, Iskenderun, 
Piraeus, Haifa, Fos-sur-Mer, 
Barcelona, Valencia, Málaga, 
and Sines. As a result, Phil-
aPort envisions much more 
Mediterranean food products 
to arrive at its docks.  
Peru: PhilaPort’s fruit 
and vegetable trade with Peru 
has increased dramatically 
over the past decade.  The 
country is adding acreage, 
growing additional types of 
fruit, and harvesting bigger 
crops, and Philadelphia is 
investing in the infrastructure 
to receive those crops.  
“We are proud of our best-
in-the-nation perishables perfor-
mance.  But don’t pigeonhole us! 
We are great at dry containers 
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The Seaboard Viking discharging containers at PhilaPort.

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