The State of Delaware and Enstructure announced a massive Edgemoor container port project on the Delaware River. When fully completed, the port will cost an estimated $635 million.
The project has the support of both Republican and Democrat leaders in the General Assembly.
The former DuPont titanium processing site was purchased in 2017 by the state-owned Diamond State Port Corporation which later secured the necessary permits to construct a new port terminal. The plant has been demolished.
The project, known as Port Delaware, will quadruple the port’s capacity for container cargo and shorten voyages for ships using upriver ports. The Port of Wilmington’s capacity is limited since it is mainly located at the end of the Christina River.
The early phase of construction of the Edgemoor port will take about three years. The Port of Wilmington will be rebranded as Port Delaware.
According to a release, the new Edgemoor terminal is estimated to create nearly 6,000 new jobs, including more than 3,100 direct jobs. Total state and local taxes generated from Edgemoor are estimated at $39.4 million annually. In addition, building the new facility will create more than 3,900 construction jobs and generate $42.3 million in tax revenues.
Once fully operational, “Port Delaware,” including both the existing and new terminals, will generate a total of about 11,480 jobs and $76.2 million in tax revenues for the state, making it one of Delaware’s largest employment centers, the release stated.
The existing Port of Wilmington is a source of high-paying blue-collar jobs, according to the state. Many of its longshoremen earn annual incomes of more than $100,000, with a recent national report estimating the average annual salary of a maritime worker at $98,000
Construction of the new port facility will be conducted in three phases, with the first to be completed over an estimated 32-month period. Much of the early work in the first phase will be focused on waterside construction – building a seawall, high deck and associated dredging. Landside construction of the actual terminal will come later with public participation and community engagement. The container port project’s early stages have been criticized over a lack of disclosures.
Phases two and three of the project will be built by Enstructure when the business justifies the additional capacity.
The State will take on responsibility for approximately 31 percent of the cost of building the facility, or $195 million. Enstructure will pay most of the construction and equipment costs, beginning with $170 million to support Phase 1 of the project and an additional $165 million to complete phases 2 and 3, which equals 53 percent of the entire project. Remaining costs will come from federal sources and the state port corporation.. State funds will come from excess abandoned property revenues made available in previous state bond bills for specific one-time uses, including maritime terminal development.
Further details of the project, its benefits, and the economic impact can be viewed here.
“For decades, jobs at the Port of Wilmington have been a gateway into the middle class for thousands of workers and their families— the kind of jobs our state and country were built on,” said Delaware Gov. John Carney. “This investment to expand the Port will position Delaware to compete for container cargo and larger ships. It will bring new, good-paying union jobs to Wilmington. I am pleased to see strong bipartisan support for this important and necessary next step in making the planned Edgemoor expansion a reality.”
Senate Republican Leader Gerald Hocker stated, “Investing in modern public infrastructure is a great way to ensure a strong economy for the future. The existing port has created jobs and small business opportunities for over 100 years. This new port will be a critical piece of strengthening Delaware’s economy for the next hundred years.”
“I am excited for the opportunities this new port site will bring to Delaware. Thousands of Delawareans including many of my constituents will benefit from this construction whether directly through jobs or indirectly from the increased economic activity in their communities,” stated Bond Bill Chair Representative Deb Heffernan. “As I have said since this project was first theorized, a project of this size and scale only works with constant and consistent communication with the community. DSPC and Enstructure have made guarantees to hold community meetings, establish a community advisory board made up of local community members, and develop and continually update a website with information on the construction process. I will be watching to ensure these promises are kept and our community is kept up to date on this project that has the potential to benefit us all.”
Heffernan, whose district borders the site, had been critical on the lack of information on plans for the port.
The concept of the container port has been discussed since the Edgemoor site acquisition. However, plans were stalled by factors that included problems at the previous Port of Wilmington operator, Gulftainer. The Covid-19 pandemic also stalled. development.
“We are excited to partner with the State of Delaware, the Diamond State Port Corporation, the Delaware Building Trades and the International Longshoremen’s Association to significantly expand Delaware’s port infrastructure,” said Enstructure Co-CEOs Matthew Satnick and Philippe De Montigny. “The Port Delaware Container Terminal will broaden Enstructure’s terminal network and logistics services, while enhancing our ability to serve our customers.”
