SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PHILADELPHIA TRADE AND LOGISTICS

By Karen Robes-Meeks

When the CMA CGM Marco Polo arrived carrying 16,020 TEUs at the Port of Philadelphia ( PhilaPort ) in March , the milestone — feted with a water-cannon welcome by the local fire department — not only ushered in the biggest vessel on record to enter the gateway but also underscored the region ’ s rising prominence in global trade .

“ That was a seminal moment for the Port of Philadelphia ,” said Sean Mahoney , PhilaPort ’ s senior marketing director . “ We ’ re handling the same sized vessels that are calling at other competing ports in our range . I think some of the people on the Eastern Seaboard really sat up and noticed that we were able to handle a vessel that size . That ’ s what we have been working for .”

Over the years , Philadelphia has been positioning itself as an international force , investing millions of dollars in public and private infrastructure projects and touting the region ’ s advantages , including its place at the center of the Northeast transportation network and its proximity to the world ’ s richest consumer market .

East Coast Warehouse & Distribution Corp ., an Elizabeth , NJ-based company that specializes in handling temperaturecontrolled goods , maintains a strong presence up and down the I-95 corridor from New York – New Jersey to Savannah , Ga ., said Chief Commercial Officer Kevin Daly .

“ Philly has always been a strong import region , especially for the import of produce ,” Daly said . “ With warehouse development in southern New Jersey , however , the Port of Philadelphia will continue to be a viable alternative to the greater New York area .”

www . joc . com

The Philadelphia region is uniquely suited to be a strategic hub for trade , said Rob Wharry , director of operations at Manfredi Cold Storage , a longtime provider of cold storage , international repacking , logistics services , inland transportation and freight services . The family-owned company has locations in Kennett Square , Pa ., and Pedricktown , NJ .

“ The first reason is the proximity to major markets and population centers located on the East Coast ,” Wharry said . “ The mid-Atlantic region has easy access to main arteries going to all the East Coast population centers . The second reason is the concentration of

port facilities located up and down the Delaware River . These facilities allow for timely loading and unloading of vast amounts of cargo into and out of the region .”

PhilaPort , which has seen 74 % growth in containers since 2015 , has become an option for shippers who are also looking for alternatives to congested seaports , Mahoney said .

“ They want to go to more agile places ,” he said . “ If they have a problem or they need some specialized services , they ’ ll get somebody on the phone to address their issues .”

Philadelphia ’ s nimbleness has been vital in times of disruption , from the COVID-19 pandemic to the recent collapse of Baltimore ’ s Francis Scott Key Bridge .

After the collapse — caused by a cargo ship that lost power and struck the bridge — vessels and cargo had to be shifted to nearby seaports and trade hubs . This included Philadelphia , which handled increased container volumes and much of the breakbulk cargo diverted from Baltimore , Mahoney said .

East Coast Warehouse focused on leveraging its resources in Philadelphia , New Jersey and Baltimore to bring product back into the Baltimore area , regardless of its port of arrival , to help

“ We ’ re handling the same sized vessels that are calling at other competing ports in our range .”

customers and the community after the collapse , Daly said .

“ We continue to evaluate the greater needs of our customers throughout the Philadelphia market , which may require us to expand beyond our current operation while also looking at other port-based alternatives in the hopes of providing our customers with the options they require to ensure their supply chain is resilient and poised to withstand any challenges ,” Daly added .

The arrival of CMA CGM ’ s Marco Polo would not have happened without longterm investment in the port . PhilaPort has invested more than $ 1 billion into upgrades over the past decade , Mahoney said .

May 20 , 2024 | Journal of Commerce 55