Diversifying Port Capabilities
In an effort to increase Delaware’s maritime industry competitiveness, the Port of Wilmington will soon welcome a new terminal thanks to a $635 million investment.
Currently, the Port of Wilmington ranks No. 22 in the Top 25 Container Ports by TEUs, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics 2024 Annual Report. In November 2024, Site Selection found the state’s FTZ 99, which includes the Port of Wilmington, ranked No. 62 among the nation’s Top 100 FTZs.
Located on 308 acres where the Delaware River and Christina River merge, the port has become one of the nation’s top destinations for imports of fresh fruit and juice concentrate, supported by the one of the largest dock-side cold storage facilities in North America at over 800,000 sq. ft across six warehouses.
The state and Port of Wilmington private operator Enstructure announced the new terminal’s arrival in May 2024. The project will create more than 3,100 direct jobs over a three-year period.
On its own, the Port of Wilmington has a capacity of 400,000 20-foot-equivalent units (TEUs). The addition of the 137-acre port terminal in Edgemoor, on land owned by the Diamond State Port Corporation, will quadruple current capacity to handle 1.6 million TEUs annually by 2027.
What’s To Come
Moving forward, the newly named “Port Delaware” will be built out in three phases. The first will take over two years as focus is placed on waterside construction, incorporating a new seawall, high deck and associated dredging to cater to larger vessels.
This higher elevation is designed to provide resilience from the effects of climate change, while deeper drafts accommodate newer and larger vessels. The goal is to expand state-wide economic opportunities and work to attract new imports and exports, logistic centers and service providers to the region.
The state will contribute $195 million toward the project, while Enstructure will contribute a total of $335 million across all three phases. The Diamond State Port Corporation will fund $195 million and an additional $50 million will come from a Port Infrastructure Development Program grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration. The grant will support the planned all-electric operations, a new modern truck gate complex, terminal buildings and ancillary features which include a 100,000-sq.-ft. warehouse and inspection platform.
“For decades, jobs at the Port of Wilmington have been a gateway into the middle class for thousands of workers and their families — the kind of jobs our state and country were built on,” said Delaware Governor John Carney at the announcement. “This investment to expand the Port will position Delaware to compete for container cargo and larger ships. It will bring new, good-paying union jobs to Wilmington. I am pleased to see strong bipartisan support for this important and necessary next step in making the planned Edgemoor expansion a reality.”
The Port of Wilmington will be known as Port Delaware South, handling cargos expected to include containers, bulk, breakbulk, automotive and roll-on roll-off (RoRo) ships. Meanwhile the Edgemoor terminal, to be named Port Delaware North, will handle containers carrying retail goods, perishables, frozen food, forest products and export products.
The press release from the Governor’s office noted that total state and local taxes generated from the project will bring in an estimated $39.4 million per year. The duration of construction will create over 3,900 construction jobs and generate $42.3 million in tax revenues.
“We are excited to partner with the State of Delaware, the Diamond State Port Corporation, the Delaware Building Trades and the International Longshoremen’s Association to significantly expand Delaware’s port infrastructure,” said Enstructure Co-CEOs Matthew Satnick and Philippe De Montigny in the release. “The Port Delaware Container Terminal will broaden Enstructure’s terminal network and logistics services, while enhancing our ability to serve our customers.”
