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| PRPA News Releases |
Philadelphia, September 4, 2008 Philadelphia, June 23, 2008 Philadelphia, May 5, 2008 Philadelphia, January
28, 2008 |
PHILADELPHIA REGIONAL PRODUCE MARKET TO RELOCATE TO ESSINGTON AVENUE Public/Private partnership will help retain more than 1,400 jobs and create over 375 new jobs for Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, and enable much needed expansion and growth for one of the largest Produce Markets in the United States PHILADELPHIA, September 4, 2008— Thanks to a public/private
partnership, the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PRPA), the
Philadelphia Regional Produce Market, and Essington Avenue Partners II, a
development affiliate of O’Neill Properties, announced today that the
Produce Market will relocate to Essington Avenue in Philadelphia. This The total development cost of the project is $218.5 million. The
Commonwealth is releasing $152.5 million to the Philadelphia Regional Port
Authority to support the project, development, and relocation. The
Philadelphia Regional Port Authority will purchase 63 acres, build a 667,000
square foot state-or-the-art distribution facility, and will sign a 40-year Without the agreement Philadelphia and Pennsylvania were at risk of losing what is considered an historic and economic regional staple. Several years ago, the Produce Market and the State of New Jersey were in advanced discussions to relocate the Market. This transaction ensures that the Produce Market will stay in Philadelphia for the foreseeable future. According to analysis conducted by EConsult, it is estimated that the
direct and indirect economic benefit to the region and tax revenues to the
City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth will exceed more than $10.8
billion over the life of the 40-year lease. “The new Produce Market will
provide tremendous benefit to the local and state economies, as well as James T. McDermott Jr., Executive Director of the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority, said: “The PRPA is extremely pleased to be a major partner in this exciting economic development project. Retaining this important regional asset is a great accomplishment. We look forward to a productive and rewarding relationship with the Philadelphia Regional Produce Market.” The Produce Market has deep roots and historic significance for
Philadelphia. Produce trading goes back to the 1600s on Dock Street at the
famed Head House Square. By the early 1800s, the produce industry had
carved out an area that wholesalers and farmers would go to, exclusively, on
Dock Street. It was a perfect area of the city to buy and trade all types
of product due to the close proximity of the port and the newly extended
rail lines. Paul Giordano of Giordano Produce, Jimmy Storey of Quaker City
Produce, and John Vena of John Vena Produce all have businesses at the The Philadelphia Regional Produce Market is among the largest produce
markets in the United States and supplies food as far north as Canada, as
far south as the Carolinas, with a primary focus to serve the needs of the
Greater Philadelphia region. The Produce Market also has an incredible
outreach and charity mission. More than 1,000,000 pounds of food per year
are donated to homeless shelters, schools in need, and non-profit
organizations like Philabundance, the region’s largest hunger relief
organization providing food to approximately 65,000 people per week. “Philabundance is grateful for the support from the Philadelphia Regional
Produce Market and the year-round donations, said Bill Clark, president and The 667,000 square foot state-of the-art facility is nearly twice the size
of its current facility and will be the first of its kind in the United
States with a 100% fully refrigerated facility throughout the entire
building. The new facility will prevent the cold chain from breaking from
truck transport to loading docks to cold storage at the distribution center.
The building will be constructed of steel, concrete, and insulated metal
panels that are five inches thick to maintain the required refrigeration. “Our new Philadelphia facilities will enable the produce market to compete and win in the global economy,” says Sonny DiCrecchio, executive director of the Philadelphia Regional Produce Market. “We believe that this facility will be without equal, and as a result we will be able to grow our business, add new jobs, attract new distribution opportunities, and enable Philadelphia to set the worldwide standard for best practices in the food distribution industry. Less than five minutes from three major interstates – Interstate 95, 476, and 76 – as well as Philadelphia’s International Airport, this new location enhances strategic distribution for all critical transportation methods including trucking, air freight, rail, and boat.” Thirty-two vendors will relocate into the new 68 units. Each unit is 30’ wide and 140’ feet long, and each vendor will have independent access and control of its own refrigeration. This will enable customized settings, adjustments due to seasonality, and the flexibility to distribute multiple types of food from a single facility. First phase of the site work will begin in September and the completion is
anticipated to occur within 23 months. Like many of O’Neill developments,
this is a brownfield site that will be revitalized. The site was a former
conglomeration of 5 junk and scrap yards. Essington Avenue Partners II
(EAPII) has entered into a voluntary agreement with the Pennsylvania The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority will issue regular updates on the progress of the new Philadelphia Regional Produce Market as it is constructed. ABOUT PHILADELPHIA REGIONAL PORT AUTHORITY ABOUT THE PHILADELPHIA INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ABOUT O’NEILL PROPERTIES GROUP
GOVERNOR RENDELL SAYS DELAWARE RIVER CHANNEL DEEPENING PROJECT IS A MILESTONE
PHILADELPHIA, June 23, 2008 - Governor Edward G. Rendell today hailed the signing of a historic agreement that will officially begin a five-year, $379 million project to deepen the Delaware River's shipping channel, calling it a major milestone in ongoing efforts to expand commerce and enhance economic development in the region. The partnership agreement between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PRPA) represents a significant step forward in a 15-year effort to deepen the river's shipping channel. The agreement was signed by Assistant Secretary of the Army John Paul Woodley Jr. and PRPA Chairman John H. Estey. "I consider this to be the most important project in the history of the Port of Philadelphia," said Governor Rendell. "Today is a major milestone for a project that will shape the future of maritime commerce on the Delaware River. "With this agreement, we can say to every hard working man and woman in this region that the jobs on these piers are secure, and that more jobs are on the way. This project will make all of the Delaware River ports more viable in the long term, allowing our ports to retain current customers and to attract new cargo." "I am proud to represent the Army as we sign the Project Partnership Agreement. It has been a long time coming," said John Paul Woodley, Jr., Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works). "Some 25 years have passed since Congress first authorized a study of the channel, and 16 years since Congress authorized construction. We look forward to moving this project to the next phase." Governor Rendell was joined at today's event by U. S. Senator Arlen Specter and U.S. Rep. Robert A. Brady. "This project will have a profound long-term effect on the Port of Philadelphia and on the entire region," said Congressman Robert A. Brady. "The Port of Philadelphia has always been a place where hard work and dedication can help Philadelphians secure a decent job with good wages. This agreement cements the future viability of the Port, and ensures those quality port related jobs will be here for future generations." "This agreement today is great news for Pennsylvania's economy," said U.S. Senator Bob Casey, who was unable to attend the event. "The deepening project will allow more cargo to be transported in and out of the Port of Philadelphia. I look forward to working with Governor Rendell, Senator Specter, and the men and women of organized labor to continue strengthening the Port of Philadelphia." The project will follow the current channel alignment 102 miles from Beckett Street Terminal to the mouth of the Delaware Bay. The existing channel widths (400 -1,000 feet) will not change, though 12 of the existing 16 bends will be widened for safer navigation. Marcus Hook Anchorage will also be deepened to 45 feet. "At 40 feet, the current depth of the channel is too shallow for many of the world's larger container vessels, putting Delaware River ports at a competitive disadvantage among the U.S. East Coast ports," said PRPA Chairman John H. Estey, Esq. "A 45 foot shipping channel allows the region to compete on the same stage as other East Coast ports, attracting more cargo and securing the future viability of the Port of Philadelphia." "This partnership agreement signing is the culmination of decades of hard work, patience and dedication to a project of major significance for both the Delaware V alley and the United States of America," said Lieutenant Colonel Gwen E. Baker, Philadelphia District Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. "The Corps of Engineers stands ready to deliver an economically, environmentally and technically sound project to the region and the nation." The project will require the removal of 26 million cubic yards of dredged material, which includes 18.6 million cubic yards of sand, clay and silt from the upriver portion. The remaining 7.4 million cubic yards of sand from the Delaware Bay will be used for wetland creation and beach nourishment. Also, 77,000 cubic yards of rock will be removed. The Corps will construct, operate and maintain the project in an environmentally sustainable manner. Extensive testing has been done to confirm that the dredged material is safe, and the Corps will continue to monitor water quality throughout the project. The deepening project will bring substantial secondary benefits to the Delaware Bay ecosystem. Dredged sand on Delaware's Kelly Island and New Jersey's Egg Island Point will help to promote horseshoe crab habitat through wetland restoration, and protect back-bay wetlands behind Delaware's Broadkill Beach via a beach renourishment project. The Corps has pursued beneficial use of dredged material projects like this across the nation and will continue to look for more opportunities. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Contact: Khaalid Walls; Khaalid.H.Walls@usace.army.mil Philadelphia Regional Port Authority Contact: Joseph Menta; jpmenta@philaport.com The Rendell administration is committed to creating a first-rate public education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing economic investment to support our communities and businesses. To find out more about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly newsletter, visit his Web site at: www.governor.state.pa.us.
PHILADELPHIA REGIONAL PORT AUTHORITY COMMITS TO "GO GREEN"
Philadelphia, May 5, 2008-- Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PRPA) Executive Director James T. McDermott, Jr. was pleased to participate today in a ceremony to mark the regional port’s commitment to better environmental practices, practices that will lead to cleaner air and water, and more healthful daily operations. Also participating in today’s “Green Ports” event were South Jersey Port Corporation (SJPC) Executive Director Joseph Balzano and Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) Executive Director John Matheusson. DRPA’s John Estey, representative of Pennsylvania Governor and DRPA Chairman Edward G. Rendell also attended today’s event. Mr. Estey is also PRPA’s Chairman. “This is another example of how our port agencies along the Delaware River work together in matters of regional importance,” said Mr. McDermott. “While engaging in healthy competition on a business level, we know the value of coming together when it counts. And cleaner, more responsible port operations is an initiative we can all get behind.” The centerpiece of today’s ceremony, held at SJPC’s Broadway Terminal on the New Jersey side of the Delaware River, was the signing by Mr. Matheussen, Mr. Balzano, and Mr. McDermott of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlining the three agencies’ commitment to “reducing or neutralizing the impacts of port operations and expansion upon the environment and the surrounding community.” As detailed in the MOU, implementation initiatives to advance this commitment will include the following: educational programs, the reduction of energy consumption, the employment of cleaner energy sources, replacement and/or modernization of vehicles and equipment; the development of sound planning and development processes to advance the “Green Ports” agenda; and the seeking of funding sources to advance same. Copies of the Green Ports Initiative Memorandum of Understanding are available upon request. Additional information about this initiative, a program that virtually all ports in the United States are currently undertaking in one form or another, can be found elsewhere in the press kit. “We’re very excited about new business developments on the horizon,” said Mr. McDermott. “But we’re also excited that these developments won’t come at the cost of our environment. Today’s ceremony voices the commitment of PRPA, its terminal operators, and the Rendell administration to both a vibrant and healthy port.” The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PRPA) is an independent agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania charged with the management, maintenance, marketing and promotion of publicly owned port facilities along the Delaware River in Philadelphia, as well as strategic planning throughout the port district. PRPA works with its terminal operators to modernize, expand, and improve its facilities, and to market those facilities to prospective port users. Port cargoes and the activities they generate are responsible for thousands of direct and indirect jobs in the Philadelphia area and throughout Pennsylvania.
PHILADELPHIA
REGIONAL PORT AUTHORITY WELCOMES RICKMERS-LINIE TO TIOGA MARINE
TERMINAL;
PORT NOW OFFERS COMPREHENSIVE, REGULAR CONTAINER SERVICE TO BOTH EAST & WEST COASTS OF SOUTH AMERICA Philadelphia, JANUARY 28, 2008 The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PRPA) is pleased to announce that Rickmers Linie (America), Inc., a German-based carrier specializing in the transport of breakbulk and project cargoes, now regularly calls PRPA's Tioga Marine Terminal in the city's Port Richmond section. Initial vessel calls began in early January, and PRPA officials expect upwards of 40 vessel calls during the course of 2008. A Rickmers vessel currently calls Tioga Terminal every two weeks. As well as generating the usual important types of economic benefits for the Port and region- including longshoremen man hours, dockage & wharfage fees, and the substantial indirect employment created by cargo activity in a port- Rickmers brings two additional benefits to the Port of Philadelphia: a substantial increase in export cargo activity and a reinvigoration of Tioga Terminal's rail capabilities. PRPA Director of Marketing Sean Mahoney explained the reasons for these added benefits: "The Rickmers service at Tioga is part of the carrier's larger "Pearl String" round-the-world service, including stops in Europe, Asia, India, and the U.S.," said Mr. Mahoney. "Philadelphia is the last U.S. stop on this service before the vessels head overseas, so the vessels have tended to take on substantial amounts of cargo destined for international markets. And as proud as we are of all our port's imported cargoes, in today's trade climate export cargo is always gratifying to see." The recent surge in exports at Tioga has also helped place Tioga's rail capabilities back on the front burner. Continued Mr. Mahoney: Rail track at the facility allows us to bring a rail car right up to the vessel to take on or discharge cargo. Increased cargo activity, especially increased outbound cargo business brought about by our new Rickmers service, has greatly increased the use of our rail capabilities at the terminal in the past month, and this trend will likely continue." Rickmers vessels regularly handle different varieties of steel (bars, billets, wire, etc.) destined for U.S. and foreign markets, as well as inbound and outbound project cargoes. Rickmers vessels on the "Pearl String" service are equipped with shipboard cranes with an extraordinary lift capacity, 640 metric tons, allowing the service to handle all the unusual- and often heavy- cargoes related to project shipments. A typical project cargo can be a turbine for an electrical plant or a heat exchanger destined for a manufacturing operation here or abroad. In the past, prior to establishing its ongoing service at Tioga, Rickmers often used Port of Philadelphia facilities for these special shipments, because the Port's special abilities to handle project and heavy-left cargoes complemented the carrier's abilities to do the same. For example, Rickmers has transported Pennsylvania-manufactured locomotives from the General Electric plant in Erie, Pennsylvania to China, via the Port of Philadelphia. Rickmers' past confidence in the Port's abilities was a contributing factor to its establishment of its current ongoing relationship with the Port. Rickmers vessels on the "Pearl String" service also have an 1800-TEU container capacity, allowing for container activity when required. A typical Rickmers call at Tioga involves substantial breakbulk/project activity, often with a rail component, and some additional container activity. Rickmers-Linie is soon expected to add an additional America/Asia "Westabout" service to its current activity at Tioga, the reason that a healthy 40-vessel count is projected for 2008. PRPA's Tioga Marine Terminal is operated by Delaware River Stevedores, Inc. (DRS), which worked with PRPA to attract Rickmers Line to the facility. Rickmers-Linie is based in Germany and has its main U.S. headquarters in Houston, Texas. The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PRPA) is an independent agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania charged with the management, maintenance, marketing and promotion of publicly owned port facilities along the Delaware River in Philadelphia, as well as strategic planning throughout the port district. PRPA works with its terminal operators to modernize, expand, and improve its facilities, and to market those facilities to prospective port users. Port cargoes and the activities they generate are responsible for thousands of direct and indirect jobs in the Philadelphia area and throughout Pennsylvania. |
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