Port of Wilmington (Delaware) facts for kids
The Port of Wilmington is a very important deep-water port (a port where big ships can easily dock) located in Wilmington, Delaware. It sits right where the Christina River meets the Delaware River, about 65 miles (105 km) from the Atlantic Ocean. This port is famous for being the best in North America for bringing in fresh fruit, like bananas, and juice concentrate. It also has the biggest cold storage area right next to the docks!
Quick facts for kids Port of Wilmington |
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| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Wilmington, Delaware |
| Coordinates | 39°43′06″N 75°31′25″W / 39.71833°N 75.52361°W |
| Details | |
| Opened | 1923 |
| Operated by | Port Wilmington |
| Owned by | Diamond State Port Corporation |
| Land area | 308 acres (1.25 km2) |
| Available berths | 10 (general cargo × 7, petroleum × 1, floating RoRo × 1, auto and RoRo × 1) |
| Chief Executive Officer | Joe Cruise |
| Cargo handling | 3 gantry cranes (50-ton cap. × 2, 75-ton cap. × 1) |
| Dry storage facilities | 50 acres (0.20 km2) open space; 250,000 square feet (23,000 m2) dry warehouse space |
| Temperature controlled storage facilities | 6 warehouses (800,000 square feet (74,000 m2) chilled/freezer storage; 16,000 square feet (1,500 m2) controlled atmosphere storage) |
| Statistics | |
| Vessel arrivals | 624 (2018) |
| Annual cargo tonnage | 6,603,444 (2018) |
| Annual container volume | 384,641 (2018) |
| Annual liquid bulk petroleum | 1,409,000 tons (CY2009) |
| Main imports/exports | Fresh fruit, bananas, juice concentrate, automobiles, steel, forest products, livestock, petroleum |
| Website http://www.portofwilmington.com |
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Contents
History of the Port
The Port of Wilmington first opened in 1923. Over the years, it has grown and added many new features. In 1972, a company called Del Monte started using the port as its main place in North America to bring in bananas and pineapples.
Cars and Ownership Changes
A few years later, in 1976, Volkswagen of America chose the port to bring in cars like Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche for all of North America. To help with this, the port built a special floating dock. In 1995, the state of Delaware bought the port from the city of Wilmington. They created a new group called Diamond State Port Corporation to run the port.
New Security and Future Plans
In 2007, the Port of Wilmington was the first port to use a new security system called the Transportation Worker Identification Credential. This system helps make sure that only authorized people can access the port. In 2011, the port planned to build a new dock for even bigger container ships on the Delaware River.
What Facilities Does the Port Have?
The port has a long wharf (a platform built next to the water for ships to dock) that is 3,435 feet (1,047 meters) long. The water next to the wharf is deep, between 35 and 38 feet (10.7 to 11.6 meters), which is good for large ships. There are nine berths (places where ships can tie up) along the Christina River. Seven of these are for general cargo, one is for oil, and one is a special floating dock for roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) ships. There is also a separate dock for cars on the Delaware River.
Cargo Handling and Storage
To move cargo, the port has three large gantry cranes. Two of them can lift 50 tons, and one can lift 75 tons. The port has a lot of outdoor space, about 50 acres (0.2 km²), for storing things. It also has 250,000 square feet (23,226 m²) of dry warehouse space. For things that need to stay cold, there are six special temperature-controlled warehouses with a total of 816,000 square feet (75,809 m²) of storage.
Transportation Connections
The port is well-connected to other ways of transport. It has train lines from CSX and Norfolk Southern railroads. It is also very close to Interstate 495, a major highway.
Support for Sailors
The Seamen's Center is located right at the Port of Wilmington. It helps visiting sailors by offering things like entertainment, rides, and spiritual guidance. This center gets support from the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware. Close by, there is also a special parking area for refrigerated trucks that carry food and other items that need to stay cold before they are shipped out.
How the Port Operates
The Port of Wilmington handles many different types of cargo. This includes fresh fruit, bananas, juice concentrate, cars, steel, wood products, animals, and oil. The port has even handled very special cargo, like parts for Antares rockets from Ukraine and large wind turbine blades from South America.
Port Activity in 2018
In 2018, 624 ships visited the port. They handled a total of 6,603,444 short tons (5,990,000 metric tons) of cargo. This included 1,447,625 short tons (1,313,000 metric tons) of dry bulk cargo and 384,641 TEUs (a way to measure containerized cargo). The State of Delaware helps the port by providing about US$2 million each year to support its operations.
Key Companies at the Port
Dole Food Company uses the Port of Wilmington a lot, making it the biggest place in the United States for bringing in bananas. Another company, Magellan Midstream Partners, operates a large storage area for liquids like oil at the port.
