b'2American Journal of Transportation ajot.comDelaware River Valley leads charge for US fruit imports TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED LOGISTICS TRI-ANNUALBy Tad Thompson, AJOTWithtelevisedcookingshowsPhilaPort, which manages Phila-steamingandagenuinenewinter- delphias seaport, indicates the Dela-estinhealthandexpandedcuisine,wareValleysfruitimportsin2020 Americanconsumershavefinallyhad a total value of $3.6 billion. The moved beyond an apple a day. regionreceived$5.2billionoffood While the United States has vastand associated products in 2020.agricultural potential, winter still hap- Refrigeratedcargoesalongthe pens throughout virtually all produc- river in 2020 were up 21% compared ing areas. to 2019, according to PhilaPort.BananacompanieshaveforAfewyearsago,theCommon-more than a century consistently andwealthofPennsylvaniacommitted increasingly shipped north from equa- $300 million to developing Philadel-torial regions.phias port. That development is still But in recent decades, deciduousunderway,withamost-recentware-fruit producers with opposite seasons,house groundbreaking on March 4 near such as Chile, South Africa and Newthe Packer Avenue Marine Terminal. Zealand,withtheircounterpartsinToassurewidespreadefficiency, countrieslikePeru,Colombia,andPhilaPortinvitesfederalinspection Central America, have skyrocketed inagency cooperation to maximize their exporting critical offseason items likeproductivity within new facility layout.melons,asparagus,babyvegetables,PhilaPortstatisticsindicatethat as well as citrus, mangos and papayas.(CHARGEcontinued on page 5) Aerial view of Philaports Packer Avenue Marine Terminal.Theglobalproduceindustryhas movedwithtemperature-controlled logistics providers to supply motivated consumers year-round with a vast vari-ety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Philadelphias Dock Street received produceinthecolonialdays.While most arriving vessels were laden with apples, squash, and tomatoes harvested in southern New Jersey, Philadelphias tradition has been in place throughout our nations history. It was in the mid-1970s that Phil-adelphia gained modern-era traction, receiving grapes and tree fruit made possiblebyChilesemergingfree market economy. Philadelphia-areaportleaders, wholedthisdevelopment35years agoand now, their children - have grownwiththetrend. Thisinstitu-tional experience makes Philadelphia, and its Delaware River Valley coun-terparts in New Jersey and Delaware, unquestionable leaders in modern day U.S. produce import trade.After years of political discussion, the three states finally cooperated and chippedintodeepentheDelaware Channelto45-feet.Ingrosslysim-plified terms, dredges pulled mud all the way from Cape May to downtown Philadelphia.Andnow,theworlds largestcontainershipshavenew accesstothekeyseaport.Philadel-phia, the Gloucester Marine Fruit Ter-minal in Gloucester City, New Jersey, and the Port of Wilmington have inde-pendently invested in new cranes to serve the larger vessels.IfPennsylvaniaistheKeystone State, the Delaware Valley is then the wheel hub for produce trade on the U.S. EastCoast. Thisgeographicposition presents a basic advantage for global foodshipperstargetingtherichest, most populated segment of the worlds wealthiest country. The Delaware Val-leysmanyinterstatehighwaysput trucks within a two-day drive of half the Canadian and U.S. population. With its long experience handling perishable fruit, the Delaware River port industry has built specialty facilities for refrigerated break bulk, and now, espe-cially, reefer containerized operations.Thisportcommunityhasfor yearsdevelopedcloselycoordinated workingrelationshipswithallrele-vant government agencies to expedite produce,meatandotherperishable cargo movement.'