On the banks of the Delaware on Wednesday, Gov. Wolf said
his priorities for the Port of Philadelphia are investing in its aging
infrastructure, creating jobs, and keeping Pennsylvania economically
competitive.
The governor said one of his goals is to develop the 196
acres at the eastern end of the Navy Yard known as Southport, the first major
maritime expansion in Philadelphia in 50 years.
In recent months, more than a dozen port operators,
energy firms, and private investors have expressed interest in developing all,
or part, of the empty land south of the Walt Whitman Bridge.
Proposed uses include a marine terminal to handle
container cargoes, an energy port, and additional automobile-processing space.
Thousands of Hyundai and Kia vehicles arrive here annually on ships from South
Korea, headed to dealer showrooms.
In September, the Wolf administration asked for
submission of "qualifications" for developing Southport. Those making
submissions will be reduced to a short list, then have a June 2016 deadline by
which to deliver concrete proposals. The governor said he hopes the project will
be underway in 2017.
The state, which owns the piers and terminals that make
up the Philadelphia port, is seeking "public/private partnerships"
and "one or more private companies" to make substantial investments
in Southport.
The number of potential jobs created from Southport will
depend on the type of development, the governor said.
If Southport is developed entirely as an energy terminal,
Wolf said, up to 590 jobs could be created. If the site is developed completely
for a "non-energy use," he said, up to 3,720 potential jobs could be
created.
The governor said he is committed to continuing to
provide state resources and investment in the port. He said he has commissioned
a multiyear study by experts advising on how to make the port better.
"We need to make investments, but we need to make
investments that are wise," Wolf said.
He said he does not have an opinion on the best use, or
mix of uses, for Southport.
"I want to see what the free market and private
sector feel is a good investment to make," the governor said. "I want
this to be a place that creates good jobs, and I'm willing to wait and see what
the best offer is."
The deepening of the Delaware River shipping channel to
45 feet from 40 feet and the expansion of the Panama Canal by 2017 to allow
larger ships from Asia to get to East Coast ports are among the reasons the
waterfront must remain a "vital resource," Wolf said.
Mayor-elect Jim Kenney has been enthusiastic about
expanding the port as a way to create thousands of new working-class jobs in
Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PRPA) first
sought bids for Southport in the spring of 2009, but tight credit and a rocky
economy stalled the project. In 2010, with an uptick in shipping, the project
appeared to gain new life.
Delaware River Stevedores (DRS) and parent companies SSA
Marine and Ports America Group secured the winning bid in October 2010 to
develop the property, with Hyundai Merchant Marine as a shipping partner.
Hyundai later dropped out.
In April 2014, DRS and its team withdrew because they
could not secure a steamship company to partner with in the finance and
construction.
The PRPA again sought "expressions of interest"
for Southport last fall, and 15 firms said they were interested.
Among them was Philadelphia Energy Solutions, which runs
the former Sunoco refinery in South Philadelphia and would like to build an
energy port with a wharf to handle oil tankers. CEO Philip L. Rinaldi has said
all 196 acres may not be needed.
Source: Philly.com
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