PhilaPort has long been a preferred point of arrival for perishable products from around the world, but that doesn’t mean it is willing to stand on its laurels. Instead, the agency is planning continued investments to improve the service it provides to its clients.

One of the recent major improvements has been the dredging of the Delaware River to a depth of 45 feet, which allows larger vessels to call on the Port of Philadelphia.

Holt Logistics Corp. and its Holt family-owned affiliates continue to set the standard for port operators through investments in facilities in the Philadelphia area. 

Christian Holt told The Produce News that 2023 was a productive year for the Philadelphia port community highlighted by the deepening of the channel to 42 feet last June. A subsequent project that was scheduled for completion in June 2024 will further deepen the channel to 45 feet. 

The state of Delaware is partnering with Enstructure, the private operator of the Port of Wilmington, to build a new port terminal at a site in Edgemoor, DE, at an industrial site acquired in 2017 by the taxpayer-owned Diamond State Port Corp.

Expected to cost $635 million, the new port will be largest shipping terminal in Delaware joining the Port of Wilmington, which opened in 1923.

J&K Fresh is an industry leader when it comes to providing a fresh clearance for on-time delivery of fresh produce. So much so that its mission statement is to provide its clients with the most professional and personalized service available.

“Our team prides itself on being proactive, rather than reactive,” said John Ercolani, vice president of the Philadelphia-based company.

Manfredi Cold Storage is a family-owned and operated third-party logistics company that provides temperature-controlled storage, repacking, refrigerated freight and other services to the produce industry. 

The company is currently in a big growth mode with five projects in the works.