PhilaPort Welcomes Largest Vessel to Call the Port

Philadelphia, December 16, 2023 —

The largest vessel to call The Port of Philadelphia: The 14,400 TEU CMA-CGM J. Madison. December 15, 2023 at Packer Avenue Marine Terminal.

The Port of Philadelphia welcomed the largest vessel to ever call in Philadelphia:  M/V CMA-CGM J. Madison, a 14,400 TEUS cargo vessel, arrived at  the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal on Friday, December 15, 2023.

“With our deeper main channel and our super post-Panamax cranes – we can easily handle this size vessel and larger,” said Jeff Theobald, Executive Director and CEO. “It’s just great to see this vessel calling Philadelphia.”

The Madison is part of the CMA-CGM Columbus service, which provides service to and from South China and Southeast Asia via the Suez Canal.

“We have been preparing for this moment for years, improving our competitiveness by building a terminal that can handle these larger vessels, which already call on other ports along the East Coast of the United States,” said Eric Holt, COO of Holt Logistics. “It’s great to see the Port’s investments paying off with the arrival of bigger ships and larger cargoes.”

“The Delaware River Pilots are true professionals,” said Theobald. “The did a great job bringing this vessel up the River, just like always do.”

See below for photos:

Group Photo (L to R): Captain Drew Hodgens, Chairman of the Mariners’ Advisory Committee; Todd Brown, Holt Logistics; Jason Rowinski and Captain David Cuff, Delaware River and Bay Pilot’s Association; Ante Seric, Captain of M/V CMA-CGM J Madison; Jeff Theobald, PhilaPort; Eric Holt, Holt Logistics; Sean Mahoney and Ryan Mulvey of PhilaPort.

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