The port’s refrigerated container load has grown by an average of 12% since 2012.

 

According to specialists, imports of fresh fruits and vegetables at the seaports of the Delaware River Valley (such as Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania) and the port of Philadelphia should reach an all-time high this fall and winter. This would be driven by producers in Peru and Chile as it would increase the volume and have a more varied fruit production, reported Portal Frutícola.

Since the beginning of the Chilean agreement with the port of Philadelphia, which was 50 years ago, the port has attracted the attention of producers from various countries thanks to experience in perishable and high-value products. In that line, the port’s refrigerated container cargo has grown by an average of 12 per cent since 2012.

The potential of the Delaware River

The nomenclature and statistical references for the Delaware River are complex because there are important port facilities in three neighbouring states. One of them is the port of Wilmington, located thirty miles south of Philadelphia and offering a fresh import trade and a constantly growing expansion.

In Gloucester City, New Jersey, across from Pennsylvania from the other side of the wide river, you’ll find huge storage facilities and docks owned by Holt Logistics Corp. In turn, Countless companies seamlessly coordinate with state and federal agencies to develop their fruit business.

Mahoney credits family-owned businesses owned by Holt, Manfredi, Procacci and Kopke, and other families, for their millions of dollars investment to boost cold storage of the port and other infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Americold, Lineage and other cold stores are also expanding to meet demand.

Another company, based in Kennett Square, PA, Manfredi Cos., Inc., offers ample cold storage space as well as transportation, logistics, and resupply services to all Delaware Valley docks.

Latin American fruit production

Peruvian fruit production has been arriving ever earlier at ports near the Delaware River, with the first ships of 2022 entering in July. This is reflected by the grapes from Peru that entered the market in September of this year as a precursor of the Chilean agreement.

Grapes and blueberries are Manfredi’s highest volume Peruvian products, avocado/avocado are third while citrus and Peruvian mangoes are also ready for cold storage.

Manfredi is also working with mango producers in Brazil to have a new program on the Delaware River.

On the other hand, the port of Philadelphia announced on April 27 the first landing of a new MSC service. The container ship “MSC Michaela” of 6,730 TEUs will be part of the service called ‘Indus 2’.

‘Indus 2’ embarks from Mundra, India, and subsequent landings are Nhava Sheva, India, and after the Suez Canal, there are berths in Gioia Tauro, Italy; Barcelona, Spain; Sines, Portugal; and then to Halifax, which ends at Philadelphia’s Packer Avenue Marina Terminal.

Positive records in 2021

In 2021, most U.S. seaports experienced a decline in volume. Manfredi explained that a large percentage of his commercial fruit losses were sent to the Delaware Valley. Then, despite Covid, last year the volumes of fruit imported into the Delaware Valley increased.

From the firm they explained that only having done the same volume would have been a great task, but to do it with an increase greater than any port in the nation was an amazing feat. “All terminal operators, customs agencies, companies like ours, work with the same goal. They all take possession. Obviously, as terminals added capacity, we had more space for our customers. This industry has grown”.

Manfredi said the port collectively realizes that its service is ultimately geared to supporting producers around the world. These producers take great leaps of faith in entrusting the fruit of their work to operators in the Delaware Valley.

 

SOURCE: MUNDOMARITIMO.CL