STUDY EXAMINES DELAWARE RIVER PORTS ACTIVITY

A new study called the “Maritime Commerce in Greater Philadelphia: Assessing Industry Trends and Growth Opportunities for Delaware River Ports,” provides a comprehensive analysis of global trends in shipping and the Delaware River ports’ history, their economic impact, and scenarios for their future growth.

For more than 300 years, the Delaware River has served as a key, if not primary, commercial highway for the tri-state region. Given strong world shipping demand, changes in international trade patterns, and increased private investment in port infrastructure around the world, Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) turned to the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia to evaluate existing port conditions along the Delaware River and market-driven opportunities for expansion.

In recent years, the ports’ market share of national shipping has declined and could continue to shrink unless interests can come together with a strategy and a plan, in which case there is potential for moderate to significant growth. The analysis suggests that the strategy to grow overall market share should include leveraging existing strengths, making targeted infrastructure improvements, and collaborating as a region to pursue business opportunities.

Select Greater Philadelphia, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, and the Economic Development Research Group also contributed their data and expertise to “Maritime Commerce in Greater Philadelphia.”

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