Initial 2014 cargo stats indicate continued strong growth at Port of Philadelphia

Following on the heels of a very successful 2013 at the Port of Philadelphia, a year that marked the fourth consecutive year of double-digit growth here, initial cargo figures strongly indicate that 2014 should deliver more of the same.

Despite record snow in the northeast and particularly in Philadelphia this past winter, the facilities of the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority operated in business-as-usual fashion, and in fact saw several big increases in cargo.  Highlights include the following: Containerized cargo continued its upward trend.  60,713 TEUs were handled in January and February 2014 compared to the 45,517 TEUs handled during the same period of 2013, a 33 percent gain.  Counted as tonnage, this amounts to 384,115 tons of containerized cargo handled so far this year compared to the 318,117 tons moved that same period last year, a 21 percent gain. Breakbulk cargoes (general cargo not shipped in containers) are so far up 17%, with 200,266 metric tons of cargo handled YTD 2014 compared to the 171,552 tons handled during the same period of 2013.  This is largely due to a major increase in steel traffic: 73,115 tons handled YTD 2014 compared to the 17,489 tons moved during the same period last year. Automobiles are also seeing big gains so far this year.  35,875 metric tons of automobiles (primarily Hyundai and Kia automobiles from South Korea) were handled in January and February 2014 compared to the 23,206 tons handled during the same period of 2013, a 55 percent gain.  Counted as individual units, 25,718 cars had been moved by the end of February, compared to the 17,143 cars moved in January and February of 2013, a 50 percent gain. With 232,963 metric tons of liquid bulk cargoes handled in January and February 2104 compared to the 215,434 tons handled during that same period of 2013, liquid bulk was up a solid 8 percent. Looking at the Port of Philadelphia’s total cargo tonnage in January and February, 853,219 metric tons of cargo were handled at PRPA’s facilities Year-To-Date 2014 compared to the 728,309 tons handled during the same period of 2013, a 17 percent gain. “Last year the Port of Philadelphia handled 5,100,385 tons of cargo, a big 15 percent gain over 2012’s figures,” said Charles G. Kopp, Esq., Chairman of the Board of the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority.  “That also marked the fourth consecutive year of double-digit growth at the Port.  And now, as we are well into 2014, it looks like this year will continue our trend of the current year building on the last.  These great numbers from this past winter, in conjunction with terminals that are bustling with activity on a regular basis, indicate that this will be yet another terrific year at the Port of Philadelphia.”