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As activity at the facilities of the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PRPA) approaches the halfway point of 2014, cargo statistics compiled thus far strongly suggest that 2014 will be another successful year at the Port of Philadelphia, with the fifth year of double-digit cargo growth a likely development.
Comparing the period of January to May 2014 with January to May 2013, containers have increased almost 29%; breakbulk cargoes have increased almost 16%; ro-ro cargoes have increased almost 7%; and liquid bulk cargoes have increased more than 5%. All told, total cargo tonnage at PRPA facilities is up over 13% year on year.
Containers have been a stand-out so far this year, with 177,335 teu handled during January to May 2014 compared to the 137,734 teu handled during the same period in 2013. Counted as metric tonnage, 1,152,862 tonnes of containerised cargo was handled compared to the 982,641 tonnes handled during the same period of 2013.
Among breakbulk cargoes, steel and forest products showed particular gains, while fruit and cocoa beans performed about the same during the two periods being compared.
The major Roll-On/Roll-Off cargo at the Port of Philadelphia continues to be automobiles, principally new Hyundais and Kias from South Korea.
“Between our aggressive terminal operators, our expert labour force, PRPA’s dedicated professional staff, the excitement created by the Delaware River Channel Deepening Project, and the excellent support we’ve received from Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett and his administration, the Port of Philadelphia has a formula in place for continued high performance, and I don’t think that is going to change,” said PRPA chairman Charles Kopp. “And we still have some entirely new cargoes on the horizon, including wood pulp from Fibria Cellulose, which will begin arriving here this summer. I really think that the sky is the limit for us.”