Summer 2005 - Philadelphia Regional Port Authority

Volume 1, Issue 18
was designed by Davis Advertising Inc. and constructed and
installed by Grid Sign Systems, both Pennsylvania-based
companies. PRPA plans to install similar signage at its
various marine terminals in the near future.
Summer 2005
Summer 2005
Review of
PortWatch: A Publication of the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority
Proudly Managing Pennsylvania’s International Seaport Since 1990
No Lazy Days of
Summer Here
An initiative to increase public awareness of PRPA and the
importance of port activity via new, dynamic signage kicked
off this past June with the installation of a new marquee sign
at PRPA’s administrative headquarters at 3460 N. Delaware
Avenue. The new sign features PRPA’s name and logo on a
bright blue field with letters that light up at night. The sign
New Rail Incentive Program and
Pro-Trucking Legislation Highlight
Productive July and August at the Port
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE...
PRESKI TALKS DEFENSE
…PAGE 4
HOSTING VISITORS
FROM DOWN UNDER
…PAGE 5
LABOR OFFICIALS
JOIN PORT BOARD
…PAGE 6
3460 North Delaware Avenue, 2nd Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19134
CONGRESSMAN BRADY
CHAMPIONS THE PORT
…PAGE 7
DAVID DAMBLY
SAYS FAREWELL
…PAGE 14
The Hamburg-Sud container vessel
Cap San Augustin docks at the
Packer Avenue Marine Terminal
on Monday, June 20.
www.philaport.com
who was the city’s public property commissioner,
asked me to become his deputy. And I very much
enjoyed the job.
Philadelphia Regional Port Authority
Announces New Intermodal Incentive Program
PortWatch: Then, of course, you were named to the
top job.
Program Rewards Ocean Carriers for Using the Port of
Philadelphia’s Intermodal Connections
The Philadelphia
Regional
Port Authority
Board of Directors
Brian Preski, Esq.
Chairman
Boise Butler III
Capt. John P. Cuff
Frank Gillen
Thomas J. Kelly
Charles N. Marshall
James E. McErlane,
Esq.
Michael A. Rashid
Chad Rubin, Esq.
Herb Vederman
Harry T. Williams
The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority is
pleased to announce that its Board of Directors
recently approved the agency’s new Intermodal
Incentive Program. Effective immediately, participating ocean carriers that utilize the Port’s
class-one railroad service for the movement of
their containers will receive a $25.00 per container incentive.
“Philadelphia really has a story to tell when it
comes to intermodal service,” said PRPA
Director of Marketing Sean Mahoney. “Not only
do we have service by three class-one railroads,
but those railroads are improving their services
all the time. This November will see the opening
of Norfolk Southern’s new intermodal facility at
the Philadelphia Naval Business Center, right
next to our Packer Avenue Marine Terminal. The
aim of this new incentive program is to make it
easier than ever for carriers to choose
Philadelphia for their intermodal moves. And
we’re also pleased that this new program
rewards our existing customers, too, allowing
them to benefit from this financial incentive
when they exceed their past intermodal cargo
levels.”
2
PortWatch: So,
how did you
end up at the
Port?
“We’re one of the few ports in the country with
service by three class-one railroads,” said Mr.
McDermott, “and this new program will give
carriers an added reason to see for themselves
why Philadelphia is second to none when it
comes to intermodal efficiency.” The Port of
Philadelphia is serviced by three class-one rail
lines: Norfolk Southern, CP Rail, and CSX.
The Intermodal Incentive Program is especially
attractive to carriers not currently using the Port
of Philadelphia, as initially every intermodal container moved by a new carrier calling the Port
will receive the $25.00 incentive. The program
also benefits carriers already using the Port: For
existing port customers that have a history at
the Port of Philadelphia, cargo-handling benchmarks have been established, so the $25.00 per
container incentive will immediately commence
for all intermodal moves above and beyond
those benchmarks.
Mr. Dambly: Yes. It was the last year of the first term
for Mayor Wilson Goode, and Dudley very suddenly
told me he was leaving for another job and that he
was going to recommend me for the post of commissioner. Mayor Goode appointed me, and as it turned
out, I ended my career with the city first as deputy
commissioner, then commissioner of public property.
PRPA’s new Intermodal Incentive Program aims to
bring new attention to the Port of Philadelphia’s excellent intermodal connections. Seen here is intermodal
activity by CSX and CP Rail in the direct vicinity of
PRPA’s Packer Avenue Marine Terminal.
Mr. Dambly: I
was winding
up 25 years of
service with
the city, and I
decided that I
wanted to do
something
else. I was
also nearing
retirement
age, and,
frankly, I didn’t
think Mayor
Goode was
going to reDave and members of his family at his retirement luncheon.
appoint me as
commissioner
in his second term. I started talking with a friend
named John LaRue, who was then President of the
old Philadelphia Port Corporation. I started kidding
with him and said, “How about getting me a job down
there? You know what I can do.” Well, he surprised
me in late fall of 1987 when he made me an offer.
PortWatch: What was your first assignment? What
title did you hold?
Mr. Dambly: I joined the old port corporation in
January 1988 and was given the title of Vice
President, but, honestly, John LaRue wanted me to
help on capital projects since I had been doing that
kind of work my entire career. As a sort of backdrop
to all of this, the city realized at the time that it did not
have the funding to maintain and promote the Port, so
there was a big push to transfer authority to the state.
Those interested in learning more about PRPA’s
innovative new Intermodal Incentive Program
should contact PRPA’s Marketing Department at
(215) 426-2600. Mr. Mahoney or one of PRPA’s
Marketing Representatives are ready to discuss
all aspects of this exciting new program.
PortWatch: Those were very perilous times for the
City of Philadelphia’s fiscal health.
The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority’s
Intermodal Incentive Program is funded by a
grant from the Pennsylvania Department of
Community and Economic Development. ■
Mr. Dambly: That’s right. The city was having trouble
finding the money for police and fire safety, let alone
the Port. So, we started getting capital money from
the state, and John LaRue wanted me to make sure
we were spending it properly.
PortWatch: Give us an idea of what you found when
you first came to the Port Corporation.
15
Mr. Dambly: We were in poor shape. I saw sheds that
had leaking roofs, paving that was in bad condition.
Things generally were in bad shape. The unfortunate
thing about the Port Corporation is that the majority of
our money was used for deferred maintenance, and
our buildings were old and generally in need of repair.
My immediate goal, of course, was to perform as
much deferred maintenance as we could to get things
up to a higher standard. Also, we had a limited
amount of new construction. Sheds were built at
Tioga Terminal, Pier 78 and Pier 82.
PortWatch: Then the birth of the Philadelphia
Regional Port Authority shortly followed.
Mr. Dambly: Yes, along with state financial support
came a change in port governance and a new name,
the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority. And the
good thing was we suddenly had more money to do
restoration and expansion of the Port facilities. For
example, when I started here, there was a big push
for more refrigeration. We had just two refrigerated
buildings at that time, one at Packer Terminal and one
at Tioga. We now have added much more refrigerated
space at Tioga and Pier 84. We’ve more than doubled
our refrigerated square-footage. The demand is there.
If we had the money to double it again, our customers
would be happy.
PortWatch: Give me a general description of your
duties at the PRPA.
Mr. Dambly: Well, as Director of Real Estate and
Insurance, I had to deal with the great number of
leases we have because we are a landlord port. I
dealt with the tenants all the time. We made sure that
not only the Port but the tenants, too, had the proper
insurance policies in place. In this capacity, I was
ably assisted for many years by Theresa Buck, who at
the time was our Real Estate and Insurance Manager.
After a time, we split my title and I became simply
Director of Real Estate and Terry Buck became
Director of Insurance, the title she now holds.
PortWatch: You were still doing capital projects work,
too, weren’t you?
Mr. Dambly: Yes, I was wearing a third hat, so to
speak, making sure we were spending our capital dollars correctly, attending endless planning meetings,
deciding what to do with the money from the state,
things of that nature.
PortWatch: As you look back on your career with the
Port of Philadelphia, what impressions are you left
with?
Mr. Dambly: That the Philadelphia Regional Port
Authority is an important asset not only to the City of
Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
but to the entire Delaware Valley. Most people don’t
know—and I didn’t know until I arrived—how important the Port is. I’ve been proud to work here. ■
A Port Mainstay Calls It a Day
New Legislation Dramatically Benefits
Port of Philadelphia’s Frozen Meat Cargoes
After 25 Years with the City of Philadelphia and
Then 16 Years at the Port, Dave Dambly Retires
from Public life
Outgoing PRPA Director of
Real Estate David Dambly
receives an official Port print as
a retirement gift on Wednesday,
June 22. From left to right are
PRPA Director of Engineering
Charles Lawrence; Mr.
Dambly; PRPA Executive
Director James T. McDermott,
Jr.; and new PRPA Director of
Real Estate Jack Dempsey.
David Anders Dambly, PE, 73, longtime Director of
Real Estate for the Philadelphia Regional Port
Authority and Vice President of PRPA’s predecessor
agency, the Philadelphia Port Corporation, was honored by his family, friends and co-workers at a retirement luncheon and tribute at Swan Caterers’ famous
Waterfall Room on Wednesday, June 22. Among those
who spoke fondly of Mr. Dambly from the dais during
the course of the luncheon were PRPA Executive
Director James T. McDermott, Jr., who served as
Master of Ceremonies; PRPA Director of
Governmental and Public Affairs William B.
McLaughlin III;
PRPA Director of
Engineering
Charles J.
Lawrence; PRPA’s
new Director of
Real Estate Jack
Dempsey; Mike
Gabor of Urban
Engineers, Inc.;
and Alexander
(Pete) Hoskins,
President of the
Philadelphia Zoo
and longtime coworker of Dave
Dambly during
their City of
Philadelphia days.
“This is truly a momentous day for both the Port and
the city,” said Mr. McDermott during his remarks. “So
many major construction projects throughout the City
of Philadelphia and its waterfront were touched by
the expertise of Dave Dambly, an engineer’s engineer.
Dave Dambly can finally call it a day knowing that he
made a major contribution to the civic and commercial life in our region. We won’t see his like
again.”
Mr. Dambly was born and raised in
Philadelphia’s historic Germantown area. He
is a graduate of the city’s Central High
School and earned two degrees at Penn
State University: forestry and civil engineering. After college, he was drafted into the
U.S. Army at the end of the Korean War.
During that time, he spent time with a group
of engineers in San Francisco and Panama,
and was immediately interested in their
work. Two years later, with the only job in
forestry he could find being a job on the
West Coast where he “literally sat on top of
a mountain looking for forest fires,” Mr. Dambly decid-
14
Thanks to new legislation passed earlier this
summer, the Port of Philadelphia has once again
facilitated the movement of imported frozen
meat cargoes through the Port to their final destinations. Specifically, a refrigerated truck
departing a Port of Philadelphia marine terminal
will now be allowed to carry up to 107,500
pounds of frozen meat products, a dramatic
increase over the previous 90,000-pound limit.
ed to return to Penn State and earn a degree in civil
engineering. A resident of Philadelphia’s Chestnut Hill
area and later Glenside, Pennsylvania during most of
his adult life, Mr. Dambly now lives in an independent
retirement community in Montgomery County, not far
from the birthplace of his father, Harold, who along
with his mother Alba were the two greatest influences on his life.
The effort to amend the previous weight limit for
cargoes moving through Pennsylvania was
mounted by PRPA staff in association with terminal operators, shippers, trucking companies,
and cold storage operators. Weight limits and
other regulations governing the movement of
commercial cargoes over Pennsylvania’s highways are set by the Pennsylvania legislature
An avid reader of local history who is also fond of
classical music, Mr. Dambly now looks forward to
returning to his roots, so to speak, by tending both his
patio garden and larger vegetable garden. PortWatch
spent time with him in the final days of his tenure at
PRPA.
PortWatch: You grew up in Germantown and have a
great love for this region. When did you start working
for the city?
Mr. Dambly: I started working during the Tate administration in 1964. I was working in the engineering
department in Fairmount Park, and I liked it very
much. I worked there for seven or eight years.
PortWatch: Then it was off to the Managing Director’s
Office in the early ’70s.
Previous victories by port officials involving this
issue included amending state weight permit
regulations so that trucking companies could
secure an annual permit to carry containerized
cargo exceeding 80,000 pounds, up to 90,000
pounds, replacing the previous system where
permits for heavy container loads had to be
secured on an individual-shipment basis. Now,
trucking companies carrying refrigerated meat
products can secure an annual permit to carry
up to 107,500 pounds.
“This legislation was the end result of a cooperative effort to contain the costs associated with
importing refrigerated and frozen meats,” said
PRPA Chairman Brian Preski, Esq. “The consumer is the ultimate winner here. By allowing
heavier containers, shippers can take advantage of economies of scale to keep transportation costs low, resulting in lower end costs to
consumers.”
Industry response to PRPA’s successful initiative
to increase the upper weight limits for refrigerated cargoes has been gratifying. “This is great
news for everyone,” said Mr. Laurie I. Bryant,
Executive Director of the Meat Importers
Council of America, Inc. (MICA). “The Port of
Philadelphia has been a valuable friend to our
industry for close to thirty years. This latest victory is yet another great example of the Port’s
commitment to our trade.”
Mr. Dambly: That’s right. The job in Fairmount Park
was great, but it had its limitations. I wanted to
advance my career, so I went to the Managing
Director’s Office and joined the Capital Projects
Control Unit as a staff engineer. We reviewed the
plans and specifications for a lot of city construction
projects.
PortWatch: How long did you remain there?
Mr. Dambly: Well, I stayed a lot longer than I thought I
would because I kept getting the advancements that I
wanted. I stayed until 1986, when Dudley Sykes,
Over a hundred members of the
Philadelphia maritime
community helped give Dave
Dambly a proper send-off
on June 22.
dock facilities for cargo, but to ensuring that
inland transportation, whether by truck or rail,
will happen with the greatest efficiency and
convenience.”
Tom Holt, Sr. of Greenwich
Terminals, LLC (at right) shows
recently arrived boxes of frozen meat
from Australia to Steve Bracks,
Premier of Australia’s State of
Victoria, during the Premier’s tour
of PRPA’s Packer Avenue Marine
Terminal on Monday, June 20
(see related story on page 5). Frozen
meat from Australia and New
Zealand will be big winners thanks
to new legislation allowing increased
over-the-road weight limits for
these imported cargoes.
3
and administered by the Pennsylvania
Department of Transportation (PennDot). Cargo
weight limits include both the weight of the
cargo and the truck’s chassis.
“I want to commend everyone involved in this
important effort, especially House
Transportation Committee Chairman Richard
Geist, who sponsored the legislation and helped
us guide it through the legislative process,” said
Mr. McDermott. “This initiative demonstrates,
once again, that the Port of Philadelphia and the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania care deeply
about the industries that use our facilities. We
are committed to ensuring not only the best on-
The lion’s share of frozen meat cargoes entering
the Port of Philadelphia consists of grinding
meat originating in Australia and New Zealand.
This meat is a prime component in most of the
hamburger patties sold in our nation’s fast-food
restaurants and is also a main ingredient of
other processed food, such as pizza toppings
and seasoned ground meat for tacos. The primary ocean carriers delivering this cargo to the
Port of Philadelphia are Hamburg-Sud, P&O
Nedlloyd, CP Ships, and Maersk. ■
Port’s Foreign Trade Zone Profiled by National
Association
Port Has Key Role in Defense
A Message from PRPA Chairman Brian Preski, Esq.
The following first appeared as an Op-Ed piece in the
June 7, 2005 edition of The Philadelphia Inquirer,
Philadelphia’s major daily newspaper. Shortly thereafter it also appeared in several other newspapers in
central and western Pennsylvania. We are pleased to
reprint Chairman Preski’s Op-Ed piece below for the
benefit of PortWatch readers.
The Port of Philadelphia’s importance to
Pennsylvania’s large military and commercial markets
was dramatically underscored last month. The
Pentagon announced the closing of 180 military
installations, but the four Army depots that work with
the Port were spared. They will continue playing critical roles in the war against terrorism. In fact, the
commonwealth is expected to gain nearly 1,000 military and civilian support jobs.
A U.S. Army Black Hawk
helicopter is readied for
shipment overseas at the Packer
Avenue Marine Terminal.
PRPA’s Strategic Military
Seaport designation has
produced substantial benefits
not only for the Port, but for
military installations
throughout Pennsylvania.
The Port is part of an ongoing effort to support the
rapid movement of military personnel and equipment
to theaters of war around the globe. Key players for
the port are the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia,
which processes food, fuel, medicine and spare parts
for our troops; Letterkenny Army Depot, a 17,500-acre
complex in Franklin County; Tobyhanna Army Depot, a
full-service communications-electronics command in
Monroe County; and the Defense Distribution Center
Susquehanna, the Defense Department’s largest
warehouse.
The decision by federal officials in October 2002 to
designate the Port of Philadelphia as one of 14
Strategic Military Seaports in the nation already is
paying dividends. It not only has the ability to provide
much-needed supplies for the men and
women in combat, but it also is a viable
partner for the four Pennsylvania
defense facilities with which it works
closely.
Pennsylvania is a state that historically
has been hit hard by closings ordered
by the Base Realignment and Closure
Commission—most recently the threatened closing of the Naval Air Station in
Willow Grove.
Since the early 1990s, the state has lost
more than 3,000 military and 13,000 civilian jobs. Clearly, a new strategy was
needed to stave off future base closings.
Initial success came three years ago
when the Port was selected by the
Defense Department as a Strategic
Military Seaport—the first so designated following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
The Port now is on the cutting edge as
4
NAFTZ Highlights Our FTZ’s Many Benefits
a national model for military cargo deployments—
thanks to the efforts of the Delaware River Maritime
Enterprise Council, a non-profit group funded by state
and federal governments, the Philadelphia Regional
Port Authority, and a dedicated contingent of elected
officials.
The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority,
Grantee of Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) No. 35, was
pleased to note that our FTZ was profiled in the
July 2005 edition of Zones Report, the official
publication of the National Association of
Foreign Trade Zones (NAFTZ). The following is
what the publication had to say about us:
Last year, the Port was one of the five busiest in the
nation in shipping military cargo, largely due to a new
strategic system that dramatically reduces deployment time. Time and time again, the Port of
Philadelphia has shown it can do the job efficiently.
The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PRPA)
is the grantee of Foreign Trade Zone No. 35,
which covers Southeastern Pennsylvania. Since
its establishment in 1978, FTZ #35 has been a
major center of maritime industrial
commerce. There are currently nine
sites in the General Purpose Zone,
which are in close proximity to
local marine terminals and
airports. In addition, four
special-purpose Subzones
remain active.
A critical partner in this success story is Letterkenny
Army Depot, which will not only keep its 2,500 civilian
jobs, but also gain more than 400 positions as military
missions relocate there from bases targeted for
realignment or closure.
Four years ago, representatives from the Philadelphia
port community visited the sprawling military complex
southwest of Harrisburg. Their mission was to convince defense officials that by designating the Port a
Strategic Military Seaport, we would be able to create and foster a mutually beneficial relationship that
would spur new business and investments. Thanks to
many people, that mission was successful.
In fiscal year 2004, the total value
of merchandise received in all activated FTZ sites in Philadelphia reached
$9.41 billion, a 13.5% increase from the year
2003. The total value of exports to foreign countries jumped to $37.67 million, 1.67 times the figure of the year prior. Furthermore, the overall
cargo increased by 16.2%, the container numbers increased by 27.4%, and the breakbulk
numbers increased by 12%. These significant
improvements are largely due to the newly
expanded Philadelphia International Airport
Zone Site, and a new manufacturing contract
between Merck & Co., Inc. and another pharmaceutical firm.
Also important is Tobyhanna Army Depot, which has
an outstanding record of providing repair service for
the electronics equipment used by our troops in battle. It has partnered with the Port of Philadelphia to
ensure the readiness of our armed forces.
The development of a new strategy and the fostering
of new partnerships has laid a strong foundation for
both the Port of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania’s military infrastructure. What we have accomplished
together gives us a clear advantage as we compete
for jobs and the investment that comes with defense
spending.
The Port is a hotbed for development, which makes it
critical that we deepen our shipping channel in the
Delaware River from 40 feet to 45 feet. Channel deepening makes sense on every level: We will add cargo
and jobs, and the local economy will benefit.
Moreover, today’s modern vessels require deeper
drafts. Our 40-foot draft simply can’t meet the need. If
we continue to idly sit by, our business will move to
competing ports both north and south of us.
The Port of Philadelphia is not only a viable economic
engine for the city of Philadelphia, but for the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as well. The Defense
Department’s decision on May 13 was a resounding
affirmation of our continuing efforts to shape this
region for future military and commercial investments. ■
TELL US YOUR NEWS
The Philadelphia Regional
Port Authority’s PortWatch is
produced quarterly by the
Authority’s Communications
Department, which invites
members of the maritime
community to submit news for
future issues. News items can
be e-mailed to Joseph Menta
at [email protected] or
faxed to him at (215) 426-6800.
13
Within Foreign Trade Zone sites in Philadelphia,
13 active firms, including Aircraft Services
International, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., Sunoco,
Inc., Conoco Phillips Company and the Kvaerner
Philadelphia Shipyard, collectively contribute to
the employment of 11,603 persons. These firms
sponsor dozens of community outreach programs in the form of both monetary and employee assistance, and promote the enhancement of
the city of Philadelphia and surrounding areas
through various programs. For example, Sunoco
is one of the largest area contributors to the
United Way, a national organization promoting
community well-being. The oil refineries and the
Philadelphia International Airport also provide
the locality with vital services at reasonable
cost and generate many jobs that strengthen the
local economy.
The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority is marketing FTZ #35 very aggressively. It advertises
the zone in trade journals, provides presentations to business groups and universities,
and publishes and updates information
on its Web site and CD-ROMs. The
PRPA has also offered to the business community full-day seminars
on overall Foreign Trade Zone
establishment and development.
It continues to make particularly
strong efforts to attract Asian
services to the Port.
PRPA thanks the National Association of
Foreign Trade Zones (NAFTZ) for running the
preceding profile in its July issue. NAFTZ is a
non-profit association that advocates the
advancement of the U.S. Foreign Trade Zone
program. NAFTZ provides leadership in the use
of the FTZ program to generate U.S.-based economic activity by enhancing global competitiveness. To learn more about NAFTZ, visit the organization’s Web site at www.imex.com/naftz.html.
To read more about how attaining Foreign Trade
Zone status for all or part of your business can
reduce or even eliminate import duties, as well
as significantly improve your bottom line in a
number of other ways, contact David Harvey in
PRPA’s Strategic Planning office or visit us at
www.philaport.com. ■
Continued from page 11: McDermott Discussion
UPCOMING IN
PORTWATCH…
PRPA receives a federal grant
for river depth and air draft
restriction sensors. Learn how
this will make commerce on
the Delaware River safer.
The RAPID system is making
cargo tracking and overall
logistics more efficient than
ever at the Port of Philadelphia.
A comprehensive update on
this innovative system.
Congressman Robert Brady
and State Representative
William Keller are honored by
the World Trade Association of
Philadelphia. A report on the
awards dinner.
Shipping containers of
footwear to Europe? Importing
garments from Asia? Need to
move your freight fast but
economically? It’s time to call
BARTHCO. A profile of this
longtime Port of Philadelphia
company.
And, last but not least,
PRPA’s Joan Glenn retires
after 22 years of service to
Pennsylvania’s international
seaport.
For these stories and much
more, look for the Fall 2005
edition of PortWatch, to be
distributed this November.
Welcoming Our Friends from Down Under
Mr. Tayoun: The Port of Philadelphia is experiencing unprecedented labor peace. You have a
six-year deal with the ILA, which is unheard of.
to Bob Brady, Bill Keller and our other elected
officials, Governor Rendell is going to get the
channel-deepening project completed.
Mr. McDermott: We owe it all to (late ILA Local
1291 leader) Sal Candelaria. The longshoremen
and management are getting along better than
they ever have. The ILA’s offices are right in our
port administration building, in fact. We have
daily communication.
And that staff I told you about is going to oversee our SouthPort project to expand Packer
Avenue Marine Terminal to the south and be
ready to receive the next generation of cargo
vessels. And we’ll do this while still maintaining
and improving our existing port facilities at
Packer Avenue, Piers 78/80, Pier 82, Pier 84, and
Tioga Marine Terminal. This is a truly exciting
time for us, and I’m proud to play a small part in
all this.
Mr. Tayoun: You have the Teamsters in your
building, too.
Mr. McDermott: Yes. Frank Gillen and Joint
Council 53 are in our building. They do a terrific
job at the Port. Local 107, the folks who move
most of the cargo through the Port, does a terrific job thanks to Bill Hamilton, their president. All
these guys—the ILA and the Teamsters—are
working together, with
each other and with Port
management, and their
solidarity is good for the
entire city. It’s an effective
public/private partnership
that you don’t see at other
ports.
A day later, a smaller but no less productive meeting
took place in the PRPA offices between PRPA officials
and two visiting government officials from the city of
Sydney in New South Wales: Loftus Harris, Director
General of the Department of State & Regional
Development and Michael O’Sullivan, Executive
Director of Industry in the same department. The two
gentlemen discussed a variety of port and business
issues with PRPA Director of Communications William
B. McLaughlin III, Director of Strategic Planning
Nicholas Walsh and PRPA Senior Marketing
Representative Dominic O’Brien.
Mr. Tayoun: And we were proud to have you
with us today. Good luck to you.
“It was wonderful that our friends in Australia made it
a priority to visit the Port of Philadelphia while they
were in town attending the Biotech conference,” said
Mr. McDermott. “They made it clear to us during their
visits that our mutual trading relationship is as important to Australia as it is to Philadelphia.”
Mr. McDermott: And good luck to you, too, Jim.
■
PRPA’s leadership and three
generations of the Holt family greet
Premier Bracks on Monday, June
20. From left to right: Thomas J.
Holt, Jr.; PRPA Executive Director
James T. McDermott, Jr.; Thomas J.
Holt III; Thomas J. Holt, Sr.;
Premier Bracks; and PRPA Deputy
Executive Director Robert C.
Blackburn. Premier Bracks was presented with an official Port of
Philadelphia commemorative
print during his visit.
Mr. Tayoun: We only have
a few moments left. Let’s
talk about the “Port of the
future.” Where do you see
the Port of Philadelphia
going?
Mr. McDermott: The Port
of the future lies south of
the Walt Whitman Bridge on those untapped
lands that will augment the existing port. But let
me first say a word about our staff, because
they make it all happen. Our dedicated staff—
we have 90 people at the PRPA—is the best
public sector staff I have ever worked with in 25
years. Sometimes people take their shots at the
public sector. I am here to tell you that I’ve got
MBAs on this staff, engineers, a couple of attorneys, and all professional people. We market
internationally. It’s a terrific staff.
Officials from Melbourne and Sydney Visit the
Port of Philadelphia
The key to future port growth lies south of the Walt
Whitman Bridge. PRPA’s proposed SouthPort
project will significantly expand maritime
operations in that underutilized area.
Our strategic planning department has put
together a master plan that will forever and a
day have Philadelphians going to work on their
waterfront, just like their forefathers did. Thanks
12
5
As most PortWatch readers are well aware, the Port
of Philadelphia and Australia have been major trading
partners for over two decades. So it was an extremely
pleasant duty for PRPA staff and terminal operators to
meet and greet two delegations of government and
trade officials from Down Under this past June.
To learn more about our trade with Australia, see the
related article on page 3 about weight restrictions
being eased for imported meat cargoes from
Australia. ■
The Honorable Steve Bracks, Premier of the State of
Victoria, was in Philadelphia June 18-22 to attend the
Biotech 2005 conference and
made it a point to schedule an
afternoon at the Port of
Philadelphia on Monday, June
20. The Premier, along with his
delegation of government,
trade, and media officials, met
with PRPA Executive Director
James T. McDermott, Jr. and
other PRPA staff at the Packer
Avenue Marine Terminal. The
visit included a mutual briefing
on pending issues at the Port of
Philadelphia and Victoria’s Port
of Melbourne, and a tour of the
Packer Avenue Marine
Terminal by representatives of
the Holt family, operators of the
Packer Avenue facility. The
Port of Philadelphia and the
Port of Melbourne established
Representatives from the Sydney, New South Wales office of the Department
a Partner Port Agreement in
of State and Regional Development visited the PRPA offices on Tuesday,
June 21. Seen here from left to right are Loftus Harris, Director General of
2001.
the Department of State and Regional Development; PRPA Director of
Governmental & Public Affairs William B. McLaughlin III; Michael
O’Sullivan, Executive Director of Industry of the Department of State and
Regional Development; PRPA Senior Marketing Representative Dominic
O’Brien; and PRPA Director of Strategic Planning Nicholas Walsh.
Labor Officials Join
PRPA Board
that cargo even now. That, coupled with our rail
infrastructure, means we can compete with
New York to an extent, and have. We’ve taken
some business out of New York for the first time,
and lines are talking to us. But we have to close
the deal by dredging.
PRPA recently welcomed the two newest additions to the agency’s Board of Directors:
Philadelphia labor leaders Boise Butler III and
Harry T. Williams. Both joined the PRPA Board
on August 9, 2005.
Harry T. Williams
The whole world is also looking at the China
component. The west coast of this country cannot keep up with all the vessels from China. I
think in the not-too-distant future you’re going to
have a Port call from China here at our Packer
Avenue Marine Terminal.
Mr. Butler, President of International
Longshoremen’s Association Local 1291, was a
direct appointment of Pennsylvania Governor
Edward G. Rendell. Mr. Williams, Business
Manager and Secretary-Treasurer of the
International Union of Painters & Allied Trades
District Council 21, was appointed by Governor
Rendell at the recommendation of the Bucks
County Board of Commissioners.
“I look forward to working with these two strong
individuals,” said PRPA Chairman Brian Preski,
Esq. “Their unique perspectives will be invaluable as the board deliberates on future business
initiatives and the challenges facing the Port of
Philadelphia.” ■
Caller (Kate): Can you talk
about the improvements
you have made at the
Packer Avenue Marine
Terminal area? Seen from
the highway, it’s really an
impressive looking facility.
PRPA’s Annual Golf Outing Brings Diverse
Port Interests Together for a Day of Fun and
Friendly Competition
Walt Picher, Ed Fitzgerald, John E. Mallough,
and Joseph P. McDermott of Barthco
International, Inc. show off their first-place
standing in the 2005 PRPA Golf Outing.
Congratulations, guys!
6
Registration was at 6:30 a.m. with
a shotgun start at 7:30 a.m. A few
hours later, as the dust settled
just prior to lunch, the following
teams emerged as this year’s
victors:
Mr. McDermott: We want to dredge just to the
south side of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge.
People often say, “Why not further?” Well, no
matter how deep the water is, the air draft on
the Ben Franklin Bridge, built in 1926, is 137 feet.
These new super ships are 14 to 15 stories tall,
and unfortunately can’t get under the bridge.
But most of our major maritime operations take
place south of the Ben Franklin Bridge, anyway,
so dredging to that point will be fine.
“The whole world is also looking at
the China component. The west
coast of this country cannot keep
up with all the vessels from China. I
think in the not-too-distant future
you’re going to have a Port call
from China here at our Packer
Avenue Marine Terminal.”
Caller (Patrick): I am a
small business owner who
often has trouble with the
cost of shipping. Are there
any programs in the
Delaware Valley that help
small business owners?
Mr. McDermott: If you are
Mr. McDermott: Thank
exporting, there is a conyou, Kate. We lease the
tainer incentive program
terminal to the Holt family,
for Pennsylvania-based
James T. McDermott, Jr.
which runs a company
companies that puts $50
Executive Director
called Greenwich
towards the cost of shipPhiladelphia Regional Port Authority
Terminals, LLC. Working
ping a container back in
with the Holts, we have
your pocket. You can call
landed P&O Nedlloyd,
Sean Mahoney, our
which is the second largest steamship line in
Director of Marketing, at (215) 426-2600 to find
the world. Australian beef and New Zealand
out more about that. We also have other aggresmilk products all come in over P&O Nedlloyd.
sive incentive programs in place to make it easiThe line committed to Philadelphia under previer to start doing business with the Port.
ous Pennsylvania Governor Mark Schweiker,
Caller (Al): What is the future of the S.S. United
who released $25 million to PRPA to make the
States,
the historic old cruise ship stored at the
improvements at Packer Avenue that P&O needPort?
ed. We purchased two post-Panamax container
gantry cranes for the terminal. We added 800
Mr. McDermott: Al, that is one of the questions I
refrigerated plugs for 40-foot frozen containers
am
asked most frequently. That grand old ship,
to plug into. And we’ve done a lot of other neclong
out of service, was brought to Philadelphia
essary infrastructure improvements to the facilion
the
belief that it would be one of the venues
ty to not only accommodate P&O, but to attract
for
riverboat
gambling. Of course, riverboat
additional services.
gambling is controversial and may never happen. So right now the vessel sits there as its
But as proud as what we’ve done at Packer
owners seek other options for it. Since being
Avenue, that doesn’t tell the whole story. We’ve
got plans in South Philadelphia to build a brand- docked here, it has recently been sold, and it’s
my understanding that the new owners’ intennew warehouse at Pier 74 for the forest prodtion is to refurbish it and put it back into service
ucts that come in from Finland. South
in some capacity. I have to say, even considerPhiladelphia is cooking. We are doing very, very
ing the shape it’s currently in, that vessel still
well there. We own Pier 100, Pier 98, Pier 96,
has the sleekest lines of any cruise ship I’ve
and the property at Delaware and Oregon
Avenues, which has a number of exciting poten- ever seen. When we have more specific information on the vessel, we’ll be sure to pass it on
tial uses we’re now investigating.
to the public.
Caller (Mike): How far up the river do you want
Continued on page 12: McDermott Discussion
Boise Butler III and PRPA
Executive Director James T.
McDermott, Jr. following a
recent meeting in the
PRPA offices.
Port Industry Hits the Links
Despite some uncooperative weather, the 4th
annual PRPA Golf Outing was a resounding
success, bringing together a large
cross-section of the Philadelphia
maritime industry for a day of
camaraderie and competition.
This year’s event was held at the
Valleybrook Country Club in
Blackwood, New Jersey on
Friday, June 3rd.
to dredge to let these super ships come up?
First-place winners: Walt Picher, Ed
Fitzgerald, John E. Mallough, and Joseph P.
McDermott of Barthco International, Inc.
Second-place winners: Todd Brown, Craig
Tocci, Yutaka Kawai, and Sean Nozaw of Holt
Logistics.
Third-place winners: John Hewlings and Bob
Thompson of the Pilots Association for the
Bay & River Delaware; and Frank Kelly and
Mario Dioguardi of PRPA.
PRPA congratulates this year’s winners and
also gives a tip of the hat to the event’s capable organizers: PRPA’s Director of MIS Joseph
Petruzzi and MIS/Strategic Planning
Secretary Donna Rymal. ■
11
McDermott Discusses Expansion, Dredging,
and Other Pending Port Issues on the Airwaves
The Hamburg-Sud
container vessel Cap San
Augustin arrives at the Packer
Avenue Marine Terminal on
Monday, June 20. A deeper
Delaware River main channel is
necessary for continued growth
for the Port of Philadelphia’s
container business.
James T. McDermott Jr., Executive Director of
the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority, was
the featured guest on the Sunday, May 8, 2005
edition of The Ninety Forum, a radio program
hosted by former Philadelphia City Councilman
James Tayoun, who also publishes The Public
Record, a popular weekly newspaper in
Philadelphia. The radio program airs every
Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. on WYSP (94
FM). Last issue, this publication ran a transcript
of the first half of that interview. PortWatch is
now pleased to provide for our readers the conclusion of Mr. Tayoun’s discussion with Mr.
McDermott. We pick up here as Mr. McDermott
fields additional calls from listeners that day…
complete its facility by the end of the year.
PRPA’s own rail plans are aggressive, too. We
are in the process of acquiring Pier 124 from
CSX, and we will eventually be purchasing Pier
122 as well. The cranes on Pier 122 are 1950s
vintage, so they need some attention, and there
are some OSHA issues there, too, but our plan is
to repair those cranes and those facilities, as
well as acquire and develop the properties
around those piers. So, with the railroads
enhancing their intermodal connections and
PRPA fixing up the piers adjacent to those new
connections, we’ll have quite the operation
south of the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal.
Remember, the Port of New York and New
Jersey is at capacity. They have no more space.
Fourteen years ago when I first started, we’d be
chasing after lines in New York and couldn’t get
them to return our phone calls. They’re now regularly visiting our office, looking for opportunities here in Philadelphia. They want to be the
first in the door. Because, once that first dredge
vessel shows up on the Delaware River to deepen the channel, you’re going to see private
infrastructure dollars become available. That
area—Piers 122, 124, and the southeast tip of
the old Philadelphia Navy Yard, which we
already own—is going to be the site of major
development.
Caller (Rich): I work for Norfolk Southern, and I
believe with rising fuel costs, railroads are the
best way to go. Could you talk a little bit about
the Port’s future plans with the railroads?
Mr. McDermott: Thanks for the question, Rich.
First, as I said earlier, we have three fine classone railroads here, and they’ve been moving
very aggressively lately. They, like the Port, realize that the future of the Port of Philadelphia lies
south of the Walt Whitman Bridge in those lesscongested, yet-to-be-developed lands near the
former Navy Yard. So, both CSX and Norfolk
Southern have both taken the time to complete
their intermodal yards on the west side of the
Packer Avenue Marine Terminal. Norfolk
Southern, as I’m sure you know, is expected to
10
The Port of Philadelphia’s Key Allies
This Issue: Congressman Robert Brady
The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority recognizes that its mission of expanding commerce, promoting economic development and creating jobs is
significantly strengthened by the support of regional elected officials. Seaports are at a critical intersection of economic, trade and regulatory policy,
and what happens in our nation’s capital and our
state capital can often have a profound impact on
port activity. With this in mind, PRPA wishes to single out one particular legislator’s frequent, effective efforts on the Port of Philadelphia’s behalf.
Congressman Robert A. Brady
Caller (Tim): Will you really be able to accommodate the giant new cargo ships in
Philadelphia? The ships that have to go to New
York now?
Mr. McDermott: That is the key to our future.
Right now, to put it bluntly, New York can take
ships that we can’t take. And without dredging,
the situation will only get worse. The next generation of vessels is going to have the capability
to hold as many as 6,500 containers in one ship.
And right now, Philadelphia can handle, at most,
container vessels with a 4,500-container capacity. If that fact doesn’t clearly illustrate our need
to dredge, nothing will.
But for now, let me say this: Because of the
great work of our Teamsters, we’re able to move
trucks over the road to New York and up into
North Jersey, allowing us to capture some of
Want to add a name
or two to our PortWatch
mailing list?
Contact PRPA’s
Communications
Department at
(215) 426-2600.
7
One of the Philadelphia area’s most important federal officials, Congressman Robert A. Brady (D-PA)
has long been a key supporter of PRPA and an
important advocate for its interests in the Halls of
Congress. His Congressional District embraces
most of PRPA’s facilities, including our largest terminal, the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal. Before
entering Congress, Mr. Brady was intimately familiar with the activities of Philadelphia’s working
waterfront. His involvement in Philadelphia civic
life and his leadership in the local labor movement
brought him into direct contact with the men and
women who rely on the seaport for their livelihoods. His election in 1998 to the United States
Congress, representing Pennsylvania’s 1st
Congressional District, has given him an expanded
forum to help the development of maritime activity
in Pennsylvania.
To cite one compelling example, Congressman
Brady, as a member on the Committee of Armed
Services, spearheaded the effort in Congress to
designate the Port of Philadelphia as a Strategic
Military Seaport. As PRPA Chairman Brian Preski
remarked at the time, “Thanks to Congressman
Brady and other regional elected officials, the Port
of Philadelphia became the 14th Strategic Military
Seaport in the United States. This has meant an
enormous increase in cargo and labor man-hours
for the Port. But in a larger sense, it has now
involved PRPA in our nation’s ongoing effort to
defend freedom around the world. All of us are
proud to participate in that effort.”
While keeping his eye on the larger national
issues, Congressman Brady has not forgotten the
important issues of infrastructure sustainment and
landside access for the Port of Philadelphia. Again,
thanks to his efforts and the efforts of Senator
Specter and Senator Santorum, PRPA has
received a $3.3 million transportation earmark in
the recent Comprehensive Transportation and
Infrastructure Act signed by President Bush. This
appropriation will assist PRPA in its work to design
and construct a critically needed port access road
from our south Philadelphia port facilities to our
major intermodal rail facilities (see related story on
page 8). This will enhance cargo mobility and make
the Port more competitive. James T. McDermott,
Jr., Executive Director of PRPA, has told
Congressman Brady, “We are extremely grateful
for your efforts on our behalf. It is very reassuring
to know that we have a person of your stature in
Washington working on issues that mean so much
to our continued success.”
Congressman Brady continues his work for the
Port of Philadelphia. He is deeply involved in discussions relating to the expansion of the Port of
Philadelphia. His continued support of the project
to deepen the Delaware River navigation channel
to 45 feet and his support of innovative technologies to speed the movement of commercial and
military cargoes to and from the Port of
Philadelphia, as evidenced by steering an
unprecedented $40,000,000 appropriation to PRPA
for that purpose, are just two illustrations of his
ongoing concern for the Port of Philadelphia. It is
important that the port community acknowledge
Congressman Brady and commend him for all he
has done to advance and strengthen the port
industry in Philadelphia and, thereby, enhance the
nation’s economic well-being.
We salute you, Congressman Brady, and look forward to many more years of productive association!■
Another Dazzling, Productive Event by the World Trade Association
PRPA Chairman Preski Praises Pennsylvania
Congressional Leaders for Federal Funds for
the Port of Philadelphia
$3.3 million in federal
funds will soon be used to
significantly improve the
movement of intermodal cargoes to and from rail facilities
serving the Packer Avenue
Marine Terminal, seen here.
Brian Preski, Esq., Chairman of the Philadelphia
Regional Port Authority, has thanked U.S.
Representative Robert Brady (D-Pennsylvania) and
U.S. Senators from Pennsylvania Arlen Specter
and Rick Santorum for their efforts to include $3.3
million earmarked for the Philadelphia Regional
Port Authority in the recent Comprehensive
Transportation and Infrastructure Act signed by
President George W.
Bush. The funds will
be utilized for a highpriority project to
design and construct
an access road from
south Philadelphia’s
port facilities to the
three intermodal rail
transfer facilities
located near the
Packer Avenue
Marine Terminal.
Port Industry Gathers Aboard Historic Vessel
John W. Brown for an Evening of Merriment
and Networking
PortWatch is happy to give the floor to
Deborah Ingravallo, Executive Administrator
of the World Trade Association of
Philadelphia. Deborah filed the following
report about the WTA’s June 9 gala aboard
the historic Liberty Ship John W. Brown. Take
it away, Deborah…
The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority is committed to an ambitious program of facility and
infrastructure enhancement and expansion.
Virtually alone among major North Atlantic seaports, the Port of Philadelphia has access to property suitable for new port development. It has proposed the creation of SouthPort, a 100-acre expansion of its major container and general cargo facilities. Key to the success of SouthPort is access to
the major rail intermodal facilities adjacent to the
Packer Avenue Marine Terminal, the largest single
marine facility on the Delaware River. The federal
funds will enable work to begin on the development of an access road, which will be critical to
the SouthPort project.
On a warm summer evening in June, members of the World Trade Association of
Philadelphia and their guests gathered
onboard the John W. Brown, which was
docked on the Delaware River waterfront at
Penn’s Landing.
Chairman Preski noted, “Once again Congressman
Brady and our two U.S. Senators have come
through for the Philadelphia Regional Port
Authority. We’re obviously grateful for their continued support and interest in the Port and look forward to seeing the vital expansion of
Pennsylvania’s seaport come to fruition.” ■
tum and that he is optimistic that something
will happen soon.
On the ‘tween deck of the massive vessel, an
extravagant buffet dinner was served while
guests were free to roam the vessel on selfguided tours and mingle with the crew. In
addition, sounds of the 1940s were heard
throughout the vessel by the a cappella quartet Stardust Memories.
The John W. Brown had sailed from
Baltimore, Maryland, where she is normally
moored, to Philadelphia for a one-week visit.
We hope to welcome her again in 2006. ■
One of four Liberty Ships still in existence out
of an original fleet of 4000, the John W.
Brown was built in 1942 and holds an impressive history, including extensive service in
World War II. Liberty Ships delivered personnel and supplies to our servicemen and servicewomen around the world, as well as provided other non-combat support services.
Early in the evening, everyone gathered on
the upper deck to listen to guest speaker Bob
Cummings of the PRPA speak on recent
developments in the Port’s channel deepening
project. Mr. Cummings reported that the initiative to deepen the Delaware River’s main
channel from 40 to 45 feet is gaining momen-
PRPA’s annual state appropriation allows for a variety of improvements to
be made to Pennsylvania’s international seaport, from multi-million dollar
building and equipment upgrades to more modest but no less important
improvements. An example of the latter is PRPA’s recent purchase of a new
multi-purpose dump truck that will aid the efforts of PRPA’s Maintenance
Department. The new truck will primarily be used for blacktop/repaving
projects at PRPA’s terminals, though it will also be helpful for a variety of
other tasks. Seen here checking out the new truck are the Maintenance
Department’s Bill Godfrey; Director of Maintenance Ron Mikalaitis; and
PRPA Executive Director James T. McDermott, Jr.
8
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.
9
The World Trade Association
of Philadelphia put together
another winning event
on June 9.
PRPA Senior Staff
Members of the PRPA senior staff can be reached at the Authority’s main telephone number, which is
(215) 426-2600. PRPA's administrative offices are located in the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority
Administration Building, 2nd floor, 3460 N. Delaware Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19134.
James T. McDermott, Jr.
Executive Director
Robert C. Blackburn
Deputy Executive Director
Theresa Buck
Director of Insurance
Jack Dempsey
Director of Real Estate
Edward G. Henderson
Director of Finance &
Capital Funding
Donna Houston
Director of Human Resources
Gregory V. Iannarelli, Esq.
Chief Counsel
Charles J. Lawrence
Director of Engineering
Sean E. Mahoney
Director of Marketing
William B. McLaughlin III
Director of Governmental &
Public Affairs
Joseph P. Menta, Jr.
Director of Communications
Ronald E. Mikalaitis
Director of Maintenance
Joseph F. Petruzzi
Director of MIS
Donna Powell
Director of Procurement
James Walsh
Director of Operations
Nicholas Walsh
Director of Strategic Planning
PRPA’s new cranes just after arriving at the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal on Tuesday, October 28.
Another Dazzling, Productive Event by the World Trade Association
PRPA Chairman Preski Praises Pennsylvania
Congressional Leaders for Federal Funds for
the Port of Philadelphia
$3.3 million in federal
funds will soon be used to
significantly improve the
movement of intermodal cargoes to and from rail facilities
serving the Packer Avenue
Marine Terminal, seen here.
Brian Preski, Esq., Chairman of the Philadelphia
Regional Port Authority, has thanked U.S.
Representative Robert Brady (D-Pennsylvania) and
U.S. Senators from Pennsylvania Arlen Specter
and Rick Santorum for their efforts to include $3.3
million earmarked for the Philadelphia Regional
Port Authority in the recent Comprehensive
Transportation and Infrastructure Act signed by
President George W.
Bush. The funds will
be utilized for a highpriority project to
design and construct
an access road from
south Philadelphia’s
port facilities to the
three intermodal rail
transfer facilities
located near the
Packer Avenue
Marine Terminal.
Port Industry Gathers Aboard Historic Vessel
John W. Brown for an Evening of Merriment
and Networking
PortWatch is happy to give the floor to
Deborah Ingravallo, Executive Administrator
of the World Trade Association of
Philadelphia. Deborah filed the following
report about the WTA’s June 9 gala aboard
the historic Liberty Ship John W. Brown. Take
it away, Deborah…
The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority is committed to an ambitious program of facility and
infrastructure enhancement and expansion.
Virtually alone among major North Atlantic seaports, the Port of Philadelphia has access to property suitable for new port development. It has proposed the creation of SouthPort, a 100-acre expansion of its major container and general cargo facilities. Key to the success of SouthPort is access to
the major rail intermodal facilities adjacent to the
Packer Avenue Marine Terminal, the largest single
marine facility on the Delaware River. The federal
funds will enable work to begin on the development of an access road, which will be critical to
the SouthPort project.
On a warm summer evening in June, members of the World Trade Association of
Philadelphia and their guests gathered
onboard the John W. Brown, which was
docked on the Delaware River waterfront at
Penn’s Landing.
Chairman Preski noted, “Once again Congressman
Brady and our two U.S. Senators have come
through for the Philadelphia Regional Port
Authority. We’re obviously grateful for their continued support and interest in the Port and look forward to seeing the vital expansion of
Pennsylvania’s seaport come to fruition.” ■
tum and that he is optimistic that something
will happen soon.
On the ‘tween deck of the massive vessel, an
extravagant buffet dinner was served while
guests were free to roam the vessel on selfguided tours and mingle with the crew. In
addition, sounds of the 1940s were heard
throughout the vessel by the a cappella quartet Stardust Memories.
The John W. Brown had sailed from
Baltimore, Maryland, where she is normally
moored, to Philadelphia for a one-week visit.
We hope to welcome her again in 2006. ■
One of four Liberty Ships still in existence out
of an original fleet of 4000, the John W.
Brown was built in 1942 and holds an impressive history, including extensive service in
World War II. Liberty Ships delivered personnel and supplies to our servicemen and servicewomen around the world, as well as provided other non-combat support services.
Early in the evening, everyone gathered on
the upper deck to listen to guest speaker Bob
Cummings of the PRPA speak on recent
developments in the Port’s channel deepening
project. Mr. Cummings reported that the initiative to deepen the Delaware River’s main
channel from 40 to 45 feet is gaining momen-
PRPA’s annual state appropriation allows for a variety of improvements to
be made to Pennsylvania’s international seaport, from multi-million dollar
building and equipment upgrades to more modest but no less important
improvements. An example of the latter is PRPA’s recent purchase of a new
multi-purpose dump truck that will aid the efforts of PRPA’s Maintenance
Department. The new truck will primarily be used for blacktop/repaving
projects at PRPA’s terminals, though it will also be helpful for a variety of
other tasks. Seen here checking out the new truck are the Maintenance
Department’s Bill Godfrey; Director of Maintenance Ron Mikalaitis; and
PRPA Executive Director James T. McDermott, Jr.
8
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.
9
The World Trade Association
of Philadelphia put together
another winning event
on June 9.
PRPA Senior Staff
Members of the PRPA senior staff can be reached at the Authority’s main telephone number, which is
(215) 426-2600. PRPA's administrative offices are located in the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority
Administration Building, 2nd floor, 3460 N. Delaware Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19134.
James T. McDermott, Jr.
Executive Director
Robert C. Blackburn
Deputy Executive Director
Theresa Buck
Director of Insurance
Jack Dempsey
Director of Real Estate
Edward G. Henderson
Director of Finance &
Capital Funding
Donna Houston
Director of Human Resources
Gregory V. Iannarelli, Esq.
Chief Counsel
Charles J. Lawrence
Director of Engineering
Sean E. Mahoney
Director of Marketing
William B. McLaughlin III
Director of Governmental &
Public Affairs
Joseph P. Menta, Jr.
Director of Communications
Ronald E. Mikalaitis
Director of Maintenance
Joseph F. Petruzzi
Director of MIS
Donna Powell
Director of Procurement
James Walsh
Director of Operations
Nicholas Walsh
Director of Strategic Planning
PRPA’s new cranes just after arriving at the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal on Tuesday, October 28.
McDermott Discusses Expansion, Dredging,
and Other Pending Port Issues on the Airwaves
The Hamburg-Sud
container vessel Cap San
Augustin arrives at the Packer
Avenue Marine Terminal on
Monday, June 20. A deeper
Delaware River main channel is
necessary for continued growth
for the Port of Philadelphia’s
container business.
James T. McDermott Jr., Executive Director of
the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority, was
the featured guest on the Sunday, May 8, 2005
edition of The Ninety Forum, a radio program
hosted by former Philadelphia City Councilman
James Tayoun, who also publishes The Public
Record, a popular weekly newspaper in
Philadelphia. The radio program airs every
Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. on WYSP (94
FM). Last issue, this publication ran a transcript
of the first half of that interview. PortWatch is
now pleased to provide for our readers the conclusion of Mr. Tayoun’s discussion with Mr.
McDermott. We pick up here as Mr. McDermott
fields additional calls from listeners that day…
complete its facility by the end of the year.
PRPA’s own rail plans are aggressive, too. We
are in the process of acquiring Pier 124 from
CSX, and we will eventually be purchasing Pier
122 as well. The cranes on Pier 122 are 1950s
vintage, so they need some attention, and there
are some OSHA issues there, too, but our plan is
to repair those cranes and those facilities, as
well as acquire and develop the properties
around those piers. So, with the railroads
enhancing their intermodal connections and
PRPA fixing up the piers adjacent to those new
connections, we’ll have quite the operation
south of the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal.
Remember, the Port of New York and New
Jersey is at capacity. They have no more space.
Fourteen years ago when I first started, we’d be
chasing after lines in New York and couldn’t get
them to return our phone calls. They’re now regularly visiting our office, looking for opportunities here in Philadelphia. They want to be the
first in the door. Because, once that first dredge
vessel shows up on the Delaware River to deepen the channel, you’re going to see private
infrastructure dollars become available. That
area—Piers 122, 124, and the southeast tip of
the old Philadelphia Navy Yard, which we
already own—is going to be the site of major
development.
Caller (Rich): I work for Norfolk Southern, and I
believe with rising fuel costs, railroads are the
best way to go. Could you talk a little bit about
the Port’s future plans with the railroads?
Mr. McDermott: Thanks for the question, Rich.
First, as I said earlier, we have three fine classone railroads here, and they’ve been moving
very aggressively lately. They, like the Port, realize that the future of the Port of Philadelphia lies
south of the Walt Whitman Bridge in those lesscongested, yet-to-be-developed lands near the
former Navy Yard. So, both CSX and Norfolk
Southern have both taken the time to complete
their intermodal yards on the west side of the
Packer Avenue Marine Terminal. Norfolk
Southern, as I’m sure you know, is expected to
10
The Port of Philadelphia’s Key Allies
This Issue: Congressman Robert Brady
The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority recognizes that its mission of expanding commerce, promoting economic development and creating jobs is
significantly strengthened by the support of regional elected officials. Seaports are at a critical intersection of economic, trade and regulatory policy,
and what happens in our nation’s capital and our
state capital can often have a profound impact on
port activity. With this in mind, PRPA wishes to single out one particular legislator’s frequent, effective efforts on the Port of Philadelphia’s behalf.
Congressman Robert A. Brady
Caller (Tim): Will you really be able to accommodate the giant new cargo ships in
Philadelphia? The ships that have to go to New
York now?
Mr. McDermott: That is the key to our future.
Right now, to put it bluntly, New York can take
ships that we can’t take. And without dredging,
the situation will only get worse. The next generation of vessels is going to have the capability
to hold as many as 6,500 containers in one ship.
And right now, Philadelphia can handle, at most,
container vessels with a 4,500-container capacity. If that fact doesn’t clearly illustrate our need
to dredge, nothing will.
But for now, let me say this: Because of the
great work of our Teamsters, we’re able to move
trucks over the road to New York and up into
North Jersey, allowing us to capture some of
Want to add a name
or two to our PortWatch
mailing list?
Contact PRPA’s
Communications
Department at
(215) 426-2600.
7
One of the Philadelphia area’s most important federal officials, Congressman Robert A. Brady (D-PA)
has long been a key supporter of PRPA and an
important advocate for its interests in the Halls of
Congress. His Congressional District embraces
most of PRPA’s facilities, including our largest terminal, the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal. Before
entering Congress, Mr. Brady was intimately familiar with the activities of Philadelphia’s working
waterfront. His involvement in Philadelphia civic
life and his leadership in the local labor movement
brought him into direct contact with the men and
women who rely on the seaport for their livelihoods. His election in 1998 to the United States
Congress, representing Pennsylvania’s 1st
Congressional District, has given him an expanded
forum to help the development of maritime activity
in Pennsylvania.
To cite one compelling example, Congressman
Brady, as a member on the Committee of Armed
Services, spearheaded the effort in Congress to
designate the Port of Philadelphia as a Strategic
Military Seaport. As PRPA Chairman Brian Preski
remarked at the time, “Thanks to Congressman
Brady and other regional elected officials, the Port
of Philadelphia became the 14th Strategic Military
Seaport in the United States. This has meant an
enormous increase in cargo and labor man-hours
for the Port. But in a larger sense, it has now
involved PRPA in our nation’s ongoing effort to
defend freedom around the world. All of us are
proud to participate in that effort.”
While keeping his eye on the larger national
issues, Congressman Brady has not forgotten the
important issues of infrastructure sustainment and
landside access for the Port of Philadelphia. Again,
thanks to his efforts and the efforts of Senator
Specter and Senator Santorum, PRPA has
received a $3.3 million transportation earmark in
the recent Comprehensive Transportation and
Infrastructure Act signed by President Bush. This
appropriation will assist PRPA in its work to design
and construct a critically needed port access road
from our south Philadelphia port facilities to our
major intermodal rail facilities (see related story on
page 8). This will enhance cargo mobility and make
the Port more competitive. James T. McDermott,
Jr., Executive Director of PRPA, has told
Congressman Brady, “We are extremely grateful
for your efforts on our behalf. It is very reassuring
to know that we have a person of your stature in
Washington working on issues that mean so much
to our continued success.”
Congressman Brady continues his work for the
Port of Philadelphia. He is deeply involved in discussions relating to the expansion of the Port of
Philadelphia. His continued support of the project
to deepen the Delaware River navigation channel
to 45 feet and his support of innovative technologies to speed the movement of commercial and
military cargoes to and from the Port of
Philadelphia, as evidenced by steering an
unprecedented $40,000,000 appropriation to PRPA
for that purpose, are just two illustrations of his
ongoing concern for the Port of Philadelphia. It is
important that the port community acknowledge
Congressman Brady and commend him for all he
has done to advance and strengthen the port
industry in Philadelphia and, thereby, enhance the
nation’s economic well-being.
We salute you, Congressman Brady, and look forward to many more years of productive association!■
Labor Officials Join
PRPA Board
that cargo even now. That, coupled with our rail
infrastructure, means we can compete with
New York to an extent, and have. We’ve taken
some business out of New York for the first time,
and lines are talking to us. But we have to close
the deal by dredging.
PRPA recently welcomed the two newest additions to the agency’s Board of Directors:
Philadelphia labor leaders Boise Butler III and
Harry T. Williams. Both joined the PRPA Board
on August 9, 2005.
Harry T. Williams
The whole world is also looking at the China
component. The west coast of this country cannot keep up with all the vessels from China. I
think in the not-too-distant future you’re going to
have a Port call from China here at our Packer
Avenue Marine Terminal.
Mr. Butler, President of International
Longshoremen’s Association Local 1291, was a
direct appointment of Pennsylvania Governor
Edward G. Rendell. Mr. Williams, Business
Manager and Secretary-Treasurer of the
International Union of Painters & Allied Trades
District Council 21, was appointed by Governor
Rendell at the recommendation of the Bucks
County Board of Commissioners.
“I look forward to working with these two strong
individuals,” said PRPA Chairman Brian Preski,
Esq. “Their unique perspectives will be invaluable as the board deliberates on future business
initiatives and the challenges facing the Port of
Philadelphia.” ■
Caller (Kate): Can you talk
about the improvements
you have made at the
Packer Avenue Marine
Terminal area? Seen from
the highway, it’s really an
impressive looking facility.
PRPA’s Annual Golf Outing Brings Diverse
Port Interests Together for a Day of Fun and
Friendly Competition
Walt Picher, Ed Fitzgerald, John E. Mallough,
and Joseph P. McDermott of Barthco
International, Inc. show off their first-place
standing in the 2005 PRPA Golf Outing.
Congratulations, guys!
6
Registration was at 6:30 a.m. with
a shotgun start at 7:30 a.m. A few
hours later, as the dust settled
just prior to lunch, the following
teams emerged as this year’s
victors:
Mr. McDermott: We want to dredge just to the
south side of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge.
People often say, “Why not further?” Well, no
matter how deep the water is, the air draft on
the Ben Franklin Bridge, built in 1926, is 137 feet.
These new super ships are 14 to 15 stories tall,
and unfortunately can’t get under the bridge.
But most of our major maritime operations take
place south of the Ben Franklin Bridge, anyway,
so dredging to that point will be fine.
“The whole world is also looking at
the China component. The west
coast of this country cannot keep
up with all the vessels from China. I
think in the not-too-distant future
you’re going to have a Port call
from China here at our Packer
Avenue Marine Terminal.”
Caller (Patrick): I am a
small business owner who
often has trouble with the
cost of shipping. Are there
any programs in the
Delaware Valley that help
small business owners?
Mr. McDermott: If you are
Mr. McDermott: Thank
exporting, there is a conyou, Kate. We lease the
tainer incentive program
terminal to the Holt family,
for Pennsylvania-based
James T. McDermott, Jr.
which runs a company
companies that puts $50
Executive Director
called Greenwich
towards the cost of shipPhiladelphia Regional Port Authority
Terminals, LLC. Working
ping a container back in
with the Holts, we have
your pocket. You can call
landed P&O Nedlloyd,
Sean Mahoney, our
which is the second largest steamship line in
Director of Marketing, at (215) 426-2600 to find
the world. Australian beef and New Zealand
out more about that. We also have other aggresmilk products all come in over P&O Nedlloyd.
sive incentive programs in place to make it easiThe line committed to Philadelphia under previer to start doing business with the Port.
ous Pennsylvania Governor Mark Schweiker,
Caller (Al): What is the future of the S.S. United
who released $25 million to PRPA to make the
States,
the historic old cruise ship stored at the
improvements at Packer Avenue that P&O needPort?
ed. We purchased two post-Panamax container
gantry cranes for the terminal. We added 800
Mr. McDermott: Al, that is one of the questions I
refrigerated plugs for 40-foot frozen containers
am
asked most frequently. That grand old ship,
to plug into. And we’ve done a lot of other neclong
out of service, was brought to Philadelphia
essary infrastructure improvements to the facilion
the
belief that it would be one of the venues
ty to not only accommodate P&O, but to attract
for
riverboat
gambling. Of course, riverboat
additional services.
gambling is controversial and may never happen. So right now the vessel sits there as its
But as proud as what we’ve done at Packer
owners seek other options for it. Since being
Avenue, that doesn’t tell the whole story. We’ve
got plans in South Philadelphia to build a brand- docked here, it has recently been sold, and it’s
my understanding that the new owners’ intennew warehouse at Pier 74 for the forest prodtion is to refurbish it and put it back into service
ucts that come in from Finland. South
in some capacity. I have to say, even considerPhiladelphia is cooking. We are doing very, very
ing the shape it’s currently in, that vessel still
well there. We own Pier 100, Pier 98, Pier 96,
has the sleekest lines of any cruise ship I’ve
and the property at Delaware and Oregon
Avenues, which has a number of exciting poten- ever seen. When we have more specific information on the vessel, we’ll be sure to pass it on
tial uses we’re now investigating.
to the public.
Caller (Mike): How far up the river do you want
Continued on page 12: McDermott Discussion
Boise Butler III and PRPA
Executive Director James T.
McDermott, Jr. following a
recent meeting in the
PRPA offices.
Port Industry Hits the Links
Despite some uncooperative weather, the 4th
annual PRPA Golf Outing was a resounding
success, bringing together a large
cross-section of the Philadelphia
maritime industry for a day of
camaraderie and competition.
This year’s event was held at the
Valleybrook Country Club in
Blackwood, New Jersey on
Friday, June 3rd.
to dredge to let these super ships come up?
First-place winners: Walt Picher, Ed
Fitzgerald, John E. Mallough, and Joseph P.
McDermott of Barthco International, Inc.
Second-place winners: Todd Brown, Craig
Tocci, Yutaka Kawai, and Sean Nozaw of Holt
Logistics.
Third-place winners: John Hewlings and Bob
Thompson of the Pilots Association for the
Bay & River Delaware; and Frank Kelly and
Mario Dioguardi of PRPA.
PRPA congratulates this year’s winners and
also gives a tip of the hat to the event’s capable organizers: PRPA’s Director of MIS Joseph
Petruzzi and MIS/Strategic Planning
Secretary Donna Rymal. ■
11
Continued from page 11: McDermott Discussion
UPCOMING IN
PORTWATCH…
PRPA receives a federal grant
for river depth and air draft
restriction sensors. Learn how
this will make commerce on
the Delaware River safer.
The RAPID system is making
cargo tracking and overall
logistics more efficient than
ever at the Port of Philadelphia.
A comprehensive update on
this innovative system.
Congressman Robert Brady
and State Representative
William Keller are honored by
the World Trade Association of
Philadelphia. A report on the
awards dinner.
Shipping containers of
footwear to Europe? Importing
garments from Asia? Need to
move your freight fast but
economically? It’s time to call
BARTHCO. A profile of this
longtime Port of Philadelphia
company.
And, last but not least,
PRPA’s Joan Glenn retires
after 22 years of service to
Pennsylvania’s international
seaport.
For these stories and much
more, look for the Fall 2005
edition of PortWatch, to be
distributed this November.
Welcoming Our Friends from Down Under
Mr. Tayoun: The Port of Philadelphia is experiencing unprecedented labor peace. You have a
six-year deal with the ILA, which is unheard of.
to Bob Brady, Bill Keller and our other elected
officials, Governor Rendell is going to get the
channel-deepening project completed.
Mr. McDermott: We owe it all to (late ILA Local
1291 leader) Sal Candelaria. The longshoremen
and management are getting along better than
they ever have. The ILA’s offices are right in our
port administration building, in fact. We have
daily communication.
And that staff I told you about is going to oversee our SouthPort project to expand Packer
Avenue Marine Terminal to the south and be
ready to receive the next generation of cargo
vessels. And we’ll do this while still maintaining
and improving our existing port facilities at
Packer Avenue, Piers 78/80, Pier 82, Pier 84, and
Tioga Marine Terminal. This is a truly exciting
time for us, and I’m proud to play a small part in
all this.
Mr. Tayoun: You have the Teamsters in your
building, too.
Mr. McDermott: Yes. Frank Gillen and Joint
Council 53 are in our building. They do a terrific
job at the Port. Local 107, the folks who move
most of the cargo through the Port, does a terrific job thanks to Bill Hamilton, their president. All
these guys—the ILA and the Teamsters—are
working together, with
each other and with Port
management, and their
solidarity is good for the
entire city. It’s an effective
public/private partnership
that you don’t see at other
ports.
A day later, a smaller but no less productive meeting
took place in the PRPA offices between PRPA officials
and two visiting government officials from the city of
Sydney in New South Wales: Loftus Harris, Director
General of the Department of State & Regional
Development and Michael O’Sullivan, Executive
Director of Industry in the same department. The two
gentlemen discussed a variety of port and business
issues with PRPA Director of Communications William
B. McLaughlin III, Director of Strategic Planning
Nicholas Walsh and PRPA Senior Marketing
Representative Dominic O’Brien.
Mr. Tayoun: And we were proud to have you
with us today. Good luck to you.
“It was wonderful that our friends in Australia made it
a priority to visit the Port of Philadelphia while they
were in town attending the Biotech conference,” said
Mr. McDermott. “They made it clear to us during their
visits that our mutual trading relationship is as important to Australia as it is to Philadelphia.”
Mr. McDermott: And good luck to you, too, Jim.
■
PRPA’s leadership and three
generations of the Holt family greet
Premier Bracks on Monday, June
20. From left to right: Thomas J.
Holt, Jr.; PRPA Executive Director
James T. McDermott, Jr.; Thomas J.
Holt III; Thomas J. Holt, Sr.;
Premier Bracks; and PRPA Deputy
Executive Director Robert C.
Blackburn. Premier Bracks was presented with an official Port of
Philadelphia commemorative
print during his visit.
Mr. Tayoun: We only have
a few moments left. Let’s
talk about the “Port of the
future.” Where do you see
the Port of Philadelphia
going?
Mr. McDermott: The Port
of the future lies south of
the Walt Whitman Bridge on those untapped
lands that will augment the existing port. But let
me first say a word about our staff, because
they make it all happen. Our dedicated staff—
we have 90 people at the PRPA—is the best
public sector staff I have ever worked with in 25
years. Sometimes people take their shots at the
public sector. I am here to tell you that I’ve got
MBAs on this staff, engineers, a couple of attorneys, and all professional people. We market
internationally. It’s a terrific staff.
Officials from Melbourne and Sydney Visit the
Port of Philadelphia
The key to future port growth lies south of the Walt
Whitman Bridge. PRPA’s proposed SouthPort
project will significantly expand maritime
operations in that underutilized area.
Our strategic planning department has put
together a master plan that will forever and a
day have Philadelphians going to work on their
waterfront, just like their forefathers did. Thanks
12
5
As most PortWatch readers are well aware, the Port
of Philadelphia and Australia have been major trading
partners for over two decades. So it was an extremely
pleasant duty for PRPA staff and terminal operators to
meet and greet two delegations of government and
trade officials from Down Under this past June.
To learn more about our trade with Australia, see the
related article on page 3 about weight restrictions
being eased for imported meat cargoes from
Australia. ■
The Honorable Steve Bracks, Premier of the State of
Victoria, was in Philadelphia June 18-22 to attend the
Biotech 2005 conference and
made it a point to schedule an
afternoon at the Port of
Philadelphia on Monday, June
20. The Premier, along with his
delegation of government,
trade, and media officials, met
with PRPA Executive Director
James T. McDermott, Jr. and
other PRPA staff at the Packer
Avenue Marine Terminal. The
visit included a mutual briefing
on pending issues at the Port of
Philadelphia and Victoria’s Port
of Melbourne, and a tour of the
Packer Avenue Marine
Terminal by representatives of
the Holt family, operators of the
Packer Avenue facility. The
Port of Philadelphia and the
Port of Melbourne established
Representatives from the Sydney, New South Wales office of the Department
a Partner Port Agreement in
of State and Regional Development visited the PRPA offices on Tuesday,
June 21. Seen here from left to right are Loftus Harris, Director General of
2001.
the Department of State and Regional Development; PRPA Director of
Governmental & Public Affairs William B. McLaughlin III; Michael
O’Sullivan, Executive Director of Industry of the Department of State and
Regional Development; PRPA Senior Marketing Representative Dominic
O’Brien; and PRPA Director of Strategic Planning Nicholas Walsh.
Port’s Foreign Trade Zone Profiled by National
Association
Port Has Key Role in Defense
A Message from PRPA Chairman Brian Preski, Esq.
The following first appeared as an Op-Ed piece in the
June 7, 2005 edition of The Philadelphia Inquirer,
Philadelphia’s major daily newspaper. Shortly thereafter it also appeared in several other newspapers in
central and western Pennsylvania. We are pleased to
reprint Chairman Preski’s Op-Ed piece below for the
benefit of PortWatch readers.
The Port of Philadelphia’s importance to
Pennsylvania’s large military and commercial markets
was dramatically underscored last month. The
Pentagon announced the closing of 180 military
installations, but the four Army depots that work with
the Port were spared. They will continue playing critical roles in the war against terrorism. In fact, the
commonwealth is expected to gain nearly 1,000 military and civilian support jobs.
A U.S. Army Black Hawk
helicopter is readied for
shipment overseas at the Packer
Avenue Marine Terminal.
PRPA’s Strategic Military
Seaport designation has
produced substantial benefits
not only for the Port, but for
military installations
throughout Pennsylvania.
The Port is part of an ongoing effort to support the
rapid movement of military personnel and equipment
to theaters of war around the globe. Key players for
the port are the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia,
which processes food, fuel, medicine and spare parts
for our troops; Letterkenny Army Depot, a 17,500-acre
complex in Franklin County; Tobyhanna Army Depot, a
full-service communications-electronics command in
Monroe County; and the Defense Distribution Center
Susquehanna, the Defense Department’s largest
warehouse.
The decision by federal officials in October 2002 to
designate the Port of Philadelphia as one of 14
Strategic Military Seaports in the nation already is
paying dividends. It not only has the ability to provide
much-needed supplies for the men and
women in combat, but it also is a viable
partner for the four Pennsylvania
defense facilities with which it works
closely.
Pennsylvania is a state that historically
has been hit hard by closings ordered
by the Base Realignment and Closure
Commission—most recently the threatened closing of the Naval Air Station in
Willow Grove.
Since the early 1990s, the state has lost
more than 3,000 military and 13,000 civilian jobs. Clearly, a new strategy was
needed to stave off future base closings.
Initial success came three years ago
when the Port was selected by the
Defense Department as a Strategic
Military Seaport—the first so designated following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
The Port now is on the cutting edge as
4
NAFTZ Highlights Our FTZ’s Many Benefits
a national model for military cargo deployments—
thanks to the efforts of the Delaware River Maritime
Enterprise Council, a non-profit group funded by state
and federal governments, the Philadelphia Regional
Port Authority, and a dedicated contingent of elected
officials.
The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority,
Grantee of Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) No. 35, was
pleased to note that our FTZ was profiled in the
July 2005 edition of Zones Report, the official
publication of the National Association of
Foreign Trade Zones (NAFTZ). The following is
what the publication had to say about us:
Last year, the Port was one of the five busiest in the
nation in shipping military cargo, largely due to a new
strategic system that dramatically reduces deployment time. Time and time again, the Port of
Philadelphia has shown it can do the job efficiently.
The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PRPA)
is the grantee of Foreign Trade Zone No. 35,
which covers Southeastern Pennsylvania. Since
its establishment in 1978, FTZ #35 has been a
major center of maritime industrial
commerce. There are currently nine
sites in the General Purpose Zone,
which are in close proximity to
local marine terminals and
airports. In addition, four
special-purpose Subzones
remain active.
A critical partner in this success story is Letterkenny
Army Depot, which will not only keep its 2,500 civilian
jobs, but also gain more than 400 positions as military
missions relocate there from bases targeted for
realignment or closure.
Four years ago, representatives from the Philadelphia
port community visited the sprawling military complex
southwest of Harrisburg. Their mission was to convince defense officials that by designating the Port a
Strategic Military Seaport, we would be able to create and foster a mutually beneficial relationship that
would spur new business and investments. Thanks to
many people, that mission was successful.
In fiscal year 2004, the total value
of merchandise received in all activated FTZ sites in Philadelphia reached
$9.41 billion, a 13.5% increase from the year
2003. The total value of exports to foreign countries jumped to $37.67 million, 1.67 times the figure of the year prior. Furthermore, the overall
cargo increased by 16.2%, the container numbers increased by 27.4%, and the breakbulk
numbers increased by 12%. These significant
improvements are largely due to the newly
expanded Philadelphia International Airport
Zone Site, and a new manufacturing contract
between Merck & Co., Inc. and another pharmaceutical firm.
Also important is Tobyhanna Army Depot, which has
an outstanding record of providing repair service for
the electronics equipment used by our troops in battle. It has partnered with the Port of Philadelphia to
ensure the readiness of our armed forces.
The development of a new strategy and the fostering
of new partnerships has laid a strong foundation for
both the Port of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania’s military infrastructure. What we have accomplished
together gives us a clear advantage as we compete
for jobs and the investment that comes with defense
spending.
The Port is a hotbed for development, which makes it
critical that we deepen our shipping channel in the
Delaware River from 40 feet to 45 feet. Channel deepening makes sense on every level: We will add cargo
and jobs, and the local economy will benefit.
Moreover, today’s modern vessels require deeper
drafts. Our 40-foot draft simply can’t meet the need. If
we continue to idly sit by, our business will move to
competing ports both north and south of us.
The Port of Philadelphia is not only a viable economic
engine for the city of Philadelphia, but for the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as well. The Defense
Department’s decision on May 13 was a resounding
affirmation of our continuing efforts to shape this
region for future military and commercial investments. ■
TELL US YOUR NEWS
The Philadelphia Regional
Port Authority’s PortWatch is
produced quarterly by the
Authority’s Communications
Department, which invites
members of the maritime
community to submit news for
future issues. News items can
be e-mailed to Joseph Menta
at [email protected] or
faxed to him at (215) 426-6800.
13
Within Foreign Trade Zone sites in Philadelphia,
13 active firms, including Aircraft Services
International, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., Sunoco,
Inc., Conoco Phillips Company and the Kvaerner
Philadelphia Shipyard, collectively contribute to
the employment of 11,603 persons. These firms
sponsor dozens of community outreach programs in the form of both monetary and employee assistance, and promote the enhancement of
the city of Philadelphia and surrounding areas
through various programs. For example, Sunoco
is one of the largest area contributors to the
United Way, a national organization promoting
community well-being. The oil refineries and the
Philadelphia International Airport also provide
the locality with vital services at reasonable
cost and generate many jobs that strengthen the
local economy.
The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority is marketing FTZ #35 very aggressively. It advertises
the zone in trade journals, provides presentations to business groups and universities,
and publishes and updates information
on its Web site and CD-ROMs. The
PRPA has also offered to the business community full-day seminars
on overall Foreign Trade Zone
establishment and development.
It continues to make particularly
strong efforts to attract Asian
services to the Port.
PRPA thanks the National Association of
Foreign Trade Zones (NAFTZ) for running the
preceding profile in its July issue. NAFTZ is a
non-profit association that advocates the
advancement of the U.S. Foreign Trade Zone
program. NAFTZ provides leadership in the use
of the FTZ program to generate U.S.-based economic activity by enhancing global competitiveness. To learn more about NAFTZ, visit the organization’s Web site at www.imex.com/naftz.html.
To read more about how attaining Foreign Trade
Zone status for all or part of your business can
reduce or even eliminate import duties, as well
as significantly improve your bottom line in a
number of other ways, contact David Harvey in
PRPA’s Strategic Planning office or visit us at
www.philaport.com. ■
A Port Mainstay Calls It a Day
New Legislation Dramatically Benefits
Port of Philadelphia’s Frozen Meat Cargoes
After 25 Years with the City of Philadelphia and
Then 16 Years at the Port, Dave Dambly Retires
from Public life
Outgoing PRPA Director of
Real Estate David Dambly
receives an official Port print as
a retirement gift on Wednesday,
June 22. From left to right are
PRPA Director of Engineering
Charles Lawrence; Mr.
Dambly; PRPA Executive
Director James T. McDermott,
Jr.; and new PRPA Director of
Real Estate Jack Dempsey.
David Anders Dambly, PE, 73, longtime Director of
Real Estate for the Philadelphia Regional Port
Authority and Vice President of PRPA’s predecessor
agency, the Philadelphia Port Corporation, was honored by his family, friends and co-workers at a retirement luncheon and tribute at Swan Caterers’ famous
Waterfall Room on Wednesday, June 22. Among those
who spoke fondly of Mr. Dambly from the dais during
the course of the luncheon were PRPA Executive
Director James T. McDermott, Jr., who served as
Master of Ceremonies; PRPA Director of
Governmental and Public Affairs William B.
McLaughlin III;
PRPA Director of
Engineering
Charles J.
Lawrence; PRPA’s
new Director of
Real Estate Jack
Dempsey; Mike
Gabor of Urban
Engineers, Inc.;
and Alexander
(Pete) Hoskins,
President of the
Philadelphia Zoo
and longtime coworker of Dave
Dambly during
their City of
Philadelphia days.
“This is truly a momentous day for both the Port and
the city,” said Mr. McDermott during his remarks. “So
many major construction projects throughout the City
of Philadelphia and its waterfront were touched by
the expertise of Dave Dambly, an engineer’s engineer.
Dave Dambly can finally call it a day knowing that he
made a major contribution to the civic and commercial life in our region. We won’t see his like
again.”
Mr. Dambly was born and raised in
Philadelphia’s historic Germantown area. He
is a graduate of the city’s Central High
School and earned two degrees at Penn
State University: forestry and civil engineering. After college, he was drafted into the
U.S. Army at the end of the Korean War.
During that time, he spent time with a group
of engineers in San Francisco and Panama,
and was immediately interested in their
work. Two years later, with the only job in
forestry he could find being a job on the
West Coast where he “literally sat on top of
a mountain looking for forest fires,” Mr. Dambly decid-
14
Thanks to new legislation passed earlier this
summer, the Port of Philadelphia has once again
facilitated the movement of imported frozen
meat cargoes through the Port to their final destinations. Specifically, a refrigerated truck
departing a Port of Philadelphia marine terminal
will now be allowed to carry up to 107,500
pounds of frozen meat products, a dramatic
increase over the previous 90,000-pound limit.
ed to return to Penn State and earn a degree in civil
engineering. A resident of Philadelphia’s Chestnut Hill
area and later Glenside, Pennsylvania during most of
his adult life, Mr. Dambly now lives in an independent
retirement community in Montgomery County, not far
from the birthplace of his father, Harold, who along
with his mother Alba were the two greatest influences on his life.
The effort to amend the previous weight limit for
cargoes moving through Pennsylvania was
mounted by PRPA staff in association with terminal operators, shippers, trucking companies,
and cold storage operators. Weight limits and
other regulations governing the movement of
commercial cargoes over Pennsylvania’s highways are set by the Pennsylvania legislature
An avid reader of local history who is also fond of
classical music, Mr. Dambly now looks forward to
returning to his roots, so to speak, by tending both his
patio garden and larger vegetable garden. PortWatch
spent time with him in the final days of his tenure at
PRPA.
PortWatch: You grew up in Germantown and have a
great love for this region. When did you start working
for the city?
Mr. Dambly: I started working during the Tate administration in 1964. I was working in the engineering
department in Fairmount Park, and I liked it very
much. I worked there for seven or eight years.
PortWatch: Then it was off to the Managing Director’s
Office in the early ’70s.
Previous victories by port officials involving this
issue included amending state weight permit
regulations so that trucking companies could
secure an annual permit to carry containerized
cargo exceeding 80,000 pounds, up to 90,000
pounds, replacing the previous system where
permits for heavy container loads had to be
secured on an individual-shipment basis. Now,
trucking companies carrying refrigerated meat
products can secure an annual permit to carry
up to 107,500 pounds.
“This legislation was the end result of a cooperative effort to contain the costs associated with
importing refrigerated and frozen meats,” said
PRPA Chairman Brian Preski, Esq. “The consumer is the ultimate winner here. By allowing
heavier containers, shippers can take advantage of economies of scale to keep transportation costs low, resulting in lower end costs to
consumers.”
Industry response to PRPA’s successful initiative
to increase the upper weight limits for refrigerated cargoes has been gratifying. “This is great
news for everyone,” said Mr. Laurie I. Bryant,
Executive Director of the Meat Importers
Council of America, Inc. (MICA). “The Port of
Philadelphia has been a valuable friend to our
industry for close to thirty years. This latest victory is yet another great example of the Port’s
commitment to our trade.”
Mr. Dambly: That’s right. The job in Fairmount Park
was great, but it had its limitations. I wanted to
advance my career, so I went to the Managing
Director’s Office and joined the Capital Projects
Control Unit as a staff engineer. We reviewed the
plans and specifications for a lot of city construction
projects.
PortWatch: How long did you remain there?
Mr. Dambly: Well, I stayed a lot longer than I thought I
would because I kept getting the advancements that I
wanted. I stayed until 1986, when Dudley Sykes,
Over a hundred members of the
Philadelphia maritime
community helped give Dave
Dambly a proper send-off
on June 22.
dock facilities for cargo, but to ensuring that
inland transportation, whether by truck or rail,
will happen with the greatest efficiency and
convenience.”
Tom Holt, Sr. of Greenwich
Terminals, LLC (at right) shows
recently arrived boxes of frozen meat
from Australia to Steve Bracks,
Premier of Australia’s State of
Victoria, during the Premier’s tour
of PRPA’s Packer Avenue Marine
Terminal on Monday, June 20
(see related story on page 5). Frozen
meat from Australia and New
Zealand will be big winners thanks
to new legislation allowing increased
over-the-road weight limits for
these imported cargoes.
3
and administered by the Pennsylvania
Department of Transportation (PennDot). Cargo
weight limits include both the weight of the
cargo and the truck’s chassis.
“I want to commend everyone involved in this
important effort, especially House
Transportation Committee Chairman Richard
Geist, who sponsored the legislation and helped
us guide it through the legislative process,” said
Mr. McDermott. “This initiative demonstrates,
once again, that the Port of Philadelphia and the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania care deeply
about the industries that use our facilities. We
are committed to ensuring not only the best on-
The lion’s share of frozen meat cargoes entering
the Port of Philadelphia consists of grinding
meat originating in Australia and New Zealand.
This meat is a prime component in most of the
hamburger patties sold in our nation’s fast-food
restaurants and is also a main ingredient of
other processed food, such as pizza toppings
and seasoned ground meat for tacos. The primary ocean carriers delivering this cargo to the
Port of Philadelphia are Hamburg-Sud, P&O
Nedlloyd, CP Ships, and Maersk. ■
who was the city’s public property commissioner,
asked me to become his deputy. And I very much
enjoyed the job.
Philadelphia Regional Port Authority
Announces New Intermodal Incentive Program
PortWatch: Then, of course, you were named to the
top job.
Program Rewards Ocean Carriers for Using the Port of
Philadelphia’s Intermodal Connections
The Philadelphia
Regional
Port Authority
Board of Directors
Brian Preski, Esq.
Chairman
Boise Butler III
Capt. John P. Cuff
Frank Gillen
Thomas J. Kelly
Charles N. Marshall
James E. McErlane,
Esq.
Michael A. Rashid
Chad Rubin, Esq.
Herb Vederman
Harry T. Williams
The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority is
pleased to announce that its Board of Directors
recently approved the agency’s new Intermodal
Incentive Program. Effective immediately, participating ocean carriers that utilize the Port’s
class-one railroad service for the movement of
their containers will receive a $25.00 per container incentive.
“Philadelphia really has a story to tell when it
comes to intermodal service,” said PRPA
Director of Marketing Sean Mahoney. “Not only
do we have service by three class-one railroads,
but those railroads are improving their services
all the time. This November will see the opening
of Norfolk Southern’s new intermodal facility at
the Philadelphia Naval Business Center, right
next to our Packer Avenue Marine Terminal. The
aim of this new incentive program is to make it
easier than ever for carriers to choose
Philadelphia for their intermodal moves. And
we’re also pleased that this new program
rewards our existing customers, too, allowing
them to benefit from this financial incentive
when they exceed their past intermodal cargo
levels.”
2
PortWatch: So,
how did you
end up at the
Port?
“We’re one of the few ports in the country with
service by three class-one railroads,” said Mr.
McDermott, “and this new program will give
carriers an added reason to see for themselves
why Philadelphia is second to none when it
comes to intermodal efficiency.” The Port of
Philadelphia is serviced by three class-one rail
lines: Norfolk Southern, CP Rail, and CSX.
The Intermodal Incentive Program is especially
attractive to carriers not currently using the Port
of Philadelphia, as initially every intermodal container moved by a new carrier calling the Port
will receive the $25.00 incentive. The program
also benefits carriers already using the Port: For
existing port customers that have a history at
the Port of Philadelphia, cargo-handling benchmarks have been established, so the $25.00 per
container incentive will immediately commence
for all intermodal moves above and beyond
those benchmarks.
Mr. Dambly: Yes. It was the last year of the first term
for Mayor Wilson Goode, and Dudley very suddenly
told me he was leaving for another job and that he
was going to recommend me for the post of commissioner. Mayor Goode appointed me, and as it turned
out, I ended my career with the city first as deputy
commissioner, then commissioner of public property.
PRPA’s new Intermodal Incentive Program aims to
bring new attention to the Port of Philadelphia’s excellent intermodal connections. Seen here is intermodal
activity by CSX and CP Rail in the direct vicinity of
PRPA’s Packer Avenue Marine Terminal.
Mr. Dambly: I
was winding
up 25 years of
service with
the city, and I
decided that I
wanted to do
something
else. I was
also nearing
retirement
age, and,
frankly, I didn’t
think Mayor
Goode was
going to reDave and members of his family at his retirement luncheon.
appoint me as
commissioner
in his second term. I started talking with a friend
named John LaRue, who was then President of the
old Philadelphia Port Corporation. I started kidding
with him and said, “How about getting me a job down
there? You know what I can do.” Well, he surprised
me in late fall of 1987 when he made me an offer.
PortWatch: What was your first assignment? What
title did you hold?
Mr. Dambly: I joined the old port corporation in
January 1988 and was given the title of Vice
President, but, honestly, John LaRue wanted me to
help on capital projects since I had been doing that
kind of work my entire career. As a sort of backdrop
to all of this, the city realized at the time that it did not
have the funding to maintain and promote the Port, so
there was a big push to transfer authority to the state.
Those interested in learning more about PRPA’s
innovative new Intermodal Incentive Program
should contact PRPA’s Marketing Department at
(215) 426-2600. Mr. Mahoney or one of PRPA’s
Marketing Representatives are ready to discuss
all aspects of this exciting new program.
PortWatch: Those were very perilous times for the
City of Philadelphia’s fiscal health.
The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority’s
Intermodal Incentive Program is funded by a
grant from the Pennsylvania Department of
Community and Economic Development. ■
Mr. Dambly: That’s right. The city was having trouble
finding the money for police and fire safety, let alone
the Port. So, we started getting capital money from
the state, and John LaRue wanted me to make sure
we were spending it properly.
PortWatch: Give us an idea of what you found when
you first came to the Port Corporation.
15
Mr. Dambly: We were in poor shape. I saw sheds that
had leaking roofs, paving that was in bad condition.
Things generally were in bad shape. The unfortunate
thing about the Port Corporation is that the majority of
our money was used for deferred maintenance, and
our buildings were old and generally in need of repair.
My immediate goal, of course, was to perform as
much deferred maintenance as we could to get things
up to a higher standard. Also, we had a limited
amount of new construction. Sheds were built at
Tioga Terminal, Pier 78 and Pier 82.
PortWatch: Then the birth of the Philadelphia
Regional Port Authority shortly followed.
Mr. Dambly: Yes, along with state financial support
came a change in port governance and a new name,
the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority. And the
good thing was we suddenly had more money to do
restoration and expansion of the Port facilities. For
example, when I started here, there was a big push
for more refrigeration. We had just two refrigerated
buildings at that time, one at Packer Terminal and one
at Tioga. We now have added much more refrigerated
space at Tioga and Pier 84. We’ve more than doubled
our refrigerated square-footage. The demand is there.
If we had the money to double it again, our customers
would be happy.
PortWatch: Give me a general description of your
duties at the PRPA.
Mr. Dambly: Well, as Director of Real Estate and
Insurance, I had to deal with the great number of
leases we have because we are a landlord port. I
dealt with the tenants all the time. We made sure that
not only the Port but the tenants, too, had the proper
insurance policies in place. In this capacity, I was
ably assisted for many years by Theresa Buck, who at
the time was our Real Estate and Insurance Manager.
After a time, we split my title and I became simply
Director of Real Estate and Terry Buck became
Director of Insurance, the title she now holds.
PortWatch: You were still doing capital projects work,
too, weren’t you?
Mr. Dambly: Yes, I was wearing a third hat, so to
speak, making sure we were spending our capital dollars correctly, attending endless planning meetings,
deciding what to do with the money from the state,
things of that nature.
PortWatch: As you look back on your career with the
Port of Philadelphia, what impressions are you left
with?
Mr. Dambly: That the Philadelphia Regional Port
Authority is an important asset not only to the City of
Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
but to the entire Delaware Valley. Most people don’t
know—and I didn’t know until I arrived—how important the Port is. I’ve been proud to work here. ■
Volume 1, Issue 18
was designed by Davis Advertising Inc. and constructed and
installed by Grid Sign Systems, both Pennsylvania-based
companies. PRPA plans to install similar signage at its
various marine terminals in the near future.
Summer 2005
Summer 2005
Review of
PortWatch: A Publication of the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority
Proudly Managing Pennsylvania’s International Seaport Since 1990
No Lazy Days of
Summer Here
An initiative to increase public awareness of PRPA and the
importance of port activity via new, dynamic signage kicked
off this past June with the installation of a new marquee sign
at PRPA’s administrative headquarters at 3460 N. Delaware
Avenue. The new sign features PRPA’s name and logo on a
bright blue field with letters that light up at night. The sign
New Rail Incentive Program and
Pro-Trucking Legislation Highlight
Productive July and August at the Port
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE...
PRESKI TALKS DEFENSE
…PAGE 4
HOSTING VISITORS
FROM DOWN UNDER
…PAGE 5
LABOR OFFICIALS
JOIN PORT BOARD
…PAGE 6
3460 North Delaware Avenue, 2nd Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19134
CONGRESSMAN BRADY
CHAMPIONS THE PORT
…PAGE 7
DAVID DAMBLY
SAYS FAREWELL
…PAGE 14
The Hamburg-Sud container vessel
Cap San Augustin docks at the
Packer Avenue Marine Terminal
on Monday, June 20.
www.philaport.com