North Carolina Ports set an all-time high for container moves in calendar year 2018. The Port of Wilmington recorded a year-over-year container volume increase of 23 percent, the company said in its release.
The accomplishments of 2018 can be contributed, in part, to the organization’s model of best in class gate truck turntimes and high crane productivity rates as well as NC Ports’ investment in terminal improvements in Wilmington.
NC Ports’ capital improvements plan will enable the organization to tailor its growth to meet customers’ needs and better facilitate long-term plans. Improvements include a wider turning basin, berth enhancements and new neo-Panamax cranes – a third is scheduled to arrive this spring. In addition, NC Ports has embarked on a massive overhaul of its container terminal which will double its annual throughput capacity to 1.2 million TEUs and triple its refrigerated container capacity to 1,000 plugs.
The increase in container moves also follows a tumultuous hurricane season. The Port of Wilmington was forced to suspend vessel operations for a week and commercial truck operations for nearly two weeks because of Florence.
About North Carolina Ports
North Carolina’s ports in Wilmington and Morehead City, plus inland terminals in Charlotte and in Greensboro, link the state’s consumers, businesses and industry to world markets, and serve as magnets to attract new business and industry to the State of North Carolina. Port activities contribute statewide to more than 87,700 jobs and $678 million each year in state and local tax revenues.