The North Carolina State Ports Authority is ready to welcome the largest containerships calling on the United States East Coast following the completion of Phase II of the Turning Basin Expansion Project at the Port of Wilmington. The expansion allows the port to accommodate ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs) with a length of 1,200 feet, the company said in its release.
The expansion project widened the turning basin in the Cape Fear River from 1,400 feet to 1,524 feet. The additional 124 feet allows 14,000-TEU vessels to safely and efficiently turnaround in the Wilmington Navigational Harbor. Phase II is an extension of the initial expansion project completed in August 2016 which increased the turning basin from 1,200 feet to 1,400 feet.
The turning basin expansion follows the completion of two major projects aimed at improving access for 14,000-TEU ships to the Port of Wilmington. In February, NC Ports opened 2,600 contiguous feet of container berth space which allows for the simultaneous operations of two ULCVs. North Carolina Ports also completed an air draft improvement project in January which increased the air draft over the Cape Fear River to 212 feet making it easier for containerships to transit to the port.
The recently completed projects are key components of North Carolina Ports’ more than $200 million capital improvements plan aimed at modernizing the Port of Wilmington and enhancing terminal efficiency. Infrastructure improvements include an overhaul of Wilmington’s container terminal and new terminal and gate operating systems. The terminal renovations will double the Port of Wilmington’s annual throughput capacity to 1.2 million TEUs, triple its refrigerated container capacity, and feature a new container gate complex with increased lanes for inbound and outbound truck traffic.
About North Carolina Ports
North Carolina’s ports in Wilmington and Morehead City and Charlotte Inland Port link the state’s consumers, business 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.