Port of Philadelphia refrigerated cargo stays strong

Container volumes at PhilaPort’s Packer Avenue Marine Terminals are up 5%, maintaining an eight-month surge as imports of fresh produce remain strong.

The increase at the Port of Philadelphia leaves it as the only East Coast port to grow cargo volumes during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a news release.

“We are extremely proud of our results,” Jeff Theobald, executive director and CEO of PhilaPort, said in the release. “This proves that the infrastructure work we have done, in conjunction with the hard work of our longshoremen, terminal operator, Greenwich Terminals, and commercial support from Holt Logistics, is already paying off.”

The Packer Avenue Maine Terminal handles a variety of cargoes, but is known for handling and distributing refrigerated cargoes, according to the release.

Leo Holt, president of Holt Logistics, said the company is on track to reach double-digit growth in refrigerated cargo volume this year.

“Consumer demand for fresh fruits and vegetables remains at an all-time high,” Holt said in the release. “We remain ready to meet this demand and provide a safe and efficient supply chain for our clients.” 

A project to deepen the Delaware River main channel is complete.

“And now that we have this and other major infrastructure improvements in place, developers are taking notice.” Sean Mahoney, director of marketing at the port, said in the release. “They are continuing their investments in new distribution warehousing in South Jersey and Lehigh Valley.” 

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