Port of Wilmington (Delaware)
Encyclopedia
The Port of Wilmington is a deep-water port located at the confluence
of the Christina River
and the Delaware River
in Wilmington
, Delaware
, 65 miles (104.6 km) from the Atlantic Ocean
. The port has been ranked as the top North American
port for imports of fresh fruit, bananas, and juice concentrate, and as having the largest dock-side cold storage facility
.
made the port its "principal North American port-of-discharge" for bananas and pineapples. Four years later, Volkswagen of America
chose the port as its hub for imports of Volkswagen, Audi
, and Porsche
automobiles to North America and the Port of Wilmington constructed a floating dock to receive these products. In June 1995, the state of Delaware purchased the port from the city of Wilmington and created Diamond State Port Corporation to operate the facility. In October 2007, the Port of Wilmington became the first port to implement the Transportation Worker Identification Credential.
In 2011, the Port sought to expand operations to include new construction of a berth suitable for container ships on the Delaware River
.
face along the Christina River with depths of 35–38 ft (10.7–11.6 m) alongside. There are nine berths
facing the Christina River, including seven general cargo berths, one petroleum berth, one floating roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) berth. An automobile berth faces the Delaware River
.
Cargo handling facilities include two 50-ton capacity gantry crane
s and one 75-ton capacity gantry crane. The port has 50 acre (0.202343 km²) of open space for storage, 250000 square foot of dry warehouse
space, and six temperature-controlled warehouses totaling 816000 square foot of storage space. The port is served by CSX and Norfolk Southern railroads and is located near Interstate 95
.
The Seamen's Center, located in the Port of Wilmington complex, provides services to visiting seamen
such as entertainment, transportation, and spiritual guidance. The center is supported by the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware
.
rocket parts from Ukraine
and wind turbine blades
from South America
. In Calendar Year
2009, the port handled 359 vessels; 1571000 short ton of containerized
cargo; 503000 short ton of non-containerized cargo; 666000 short ton of dry bulk cargo; and 1409000 short ton of liquid bulk petroleum cargo.
The Port receives approximately $2 million USD from the State of Delaware in support of operations on an annual basis.
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
of the Christina River
Christina River
The Christina River is a tributary of the Delaware River, approximately 35 miles long, in northern Delaware in the United States, also flowing through small areas of southeastern Pennsylvania and northeastern Maryland. Near its mouth the river flows past downtown Wilmington, Delaware,...
and the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
in Wilmington
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, 65 miles (104.6 km) from the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. The port has been ranked as the top North American
North American
North American generally refers to an entity, people, group, or attribute of North America, especially of the United States and Canada together.-Culture:*North American English, a collective term used to describe American English and Canadian English...
port for imports of fresh fruit, bananas, and juice concentrate, and as having the largest dock-side cold storage facility
Refrigeration
Refrigeration is a process in which work is done to move heat from one location to another. This work is traditionally done by mechanical work, but can also be done by magnetism, laser or other means...
.
History
The first development of a marine terminal in Wilmington was completed in 1923 at the location of the current Port of Wilmington. A number of improvements and expansions were made to the port over the course of the following decades. In 1972, Del MonteDel Monte Foods
Del Monte Foods is an American food production and distribution company headquartered in San Francisco, California. Del Monte Foods is one of the country's largest producers, distributors and marketers of branded food and pet products for the U.S. retail market, generating approximately $3.6...
made the port its "principal North American port-of-discharge" for bananas and pineapples. Four years later, Volkswagen of America
Volkswagen of America
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. , is the North American operational headquarters, and subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group of automobile companies of Germany. VWoA is responsible for five marques: Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, and Volkswagen cars. It also controls VW Credit, Inc...
chose the port as its hub for imports of Volkswagen, Audi
Audi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
, and Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
automobiles to North America and the Port of Wilmington constructed a floating dock to receive these products. In June 1995, the state of Delaware purchased the port from the city of Wilmington and created Diamond State Port Corporation to operate the facility. In October 2007, the Port of Wilmington became the first port to implement the Transportation Worker Identification Credential.
In 2011, the Port sought to expand operations to include new construction of a berth suitable for container ships on the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
.
Facilities
The port has a adj=on 3435 wharfWharf
A wharf or quay is a structure on the shore of a harbor where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.Such a structure includes one or more berths , and may also include piers, warehouses, or other facilities necessary for handling the ships.A wharf commonly comprises a fixed...
face along the Christina River with depths of 35–38 ft (10.7–11.6 m) alongside. There are nine berths
Berth (moorings)
A berth is a location in a port or harbour used specifically for mooring vessels while not at sea.-Locations in a port:Berth is the term used in ports and harbors to define a specific location where a vessel may be berthed, usually for the purposes of loading and unloading.Most berths will be...
facing the Christina River, including seven general cargo berths, one petroleum berth, one floating roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) berth. An automobile berth faces the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
.
Cargo handling facilities include two 50-ton capacity gantry crane
Gantry crane
Gantry cranes, bridge cranes, and overhead cranes, are all types of cranes which lift objects by a hoist which is fitted in a hoist trolley and can move horizontally on a rail or pair of rails fitted under a beam...
s and one 75-ton capacity gantry crane. The port has 50 acre (0.202343 km²) of open space for storage, 250000 square foot of dry warehouse
Warehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
space, and six temperature-controlled warehouses totaling 816000 square foot of storage space. The port is served by CSX and Norfolk Southern railroads and is located near Interstate 95
Interstate 95
Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to Florida and serving some of the most populated urban areas in the country, including Boston, Providence, New Haven, New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore,...
.
The Seamen's Center, located in the Port of Wilmington complex, provides services to visiting seamen
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
such as entertainment, transportation, and spiritual guidance. The center is supported by the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware
Episcopal Diocese of Delaware
The Episcopal Diocese of Delaware is one of 108 dioceses making up the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. It consists of 38 congregations or Parishes in an area the same as the State of Delaware...
.
Operations
The Port of Wilmington handles fresh fruit, bananas, juice concentrate, automobiles, steel, forest products, livestock, petroleum, and other cargo. The port has handled specialized cargo such as Taurus IITaurus II
Taurus II is an expendable launch system being developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation. It is a two stage vehicle designed to launch payloads weighing up to into low-Earth orbit...
rocket parts from Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
and wind turbine blades
Wind turbine design
Wind turbine design is the process of defining the form and specifications of a wind turbine to extract energy from the wind. A wind turbine installation consists of the necessary systems needed to capture the wind's energy, point the turbine into the wind, convert mechanical rotation into...
from South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. In Calendar Year
Calendar year
Generally speaking, a calendar year begins on the New Year's Day of the given calendar system and ends on the day before the following New Year's Day. By convention, a calendar year consists of a natural number of days. To reconcile the calendar year with an astronomical cycle , certain years...
2009, the port handled 359 vessels; 1571000 short ton of containerized
Containerization
Containerization is a system of freight transport based on a range of steel intermodal containers...
cargo; 503000 short ton of non-containerized cargo; 666000 short ton of dry bulk cargo; and 1409000 short ton of liquid bulk petroleum cargo.
The Port receives approximately $2 million USD from the State of Delaware in support of operations on an annual basis.