Resolution 260222

..Title Authorizing the Committee on Legislative Oversight to hold hearings on the status, operations, and economic impact at the Port of Philadelphia (PhilaPort) to ensure its growth and operations position the City of Philadelphia as a 21st century commerce hub. ..Body WHEREAS, For over 300 years, PhilaPort has served as a major center of maritime industrial commerce consisting of multiple marine terminals, each with specialized capabilities; and WHEREAS, Container volume has been trending up at PhilaPort since 2015. In 2017, the Delaware River's main shipping channel was deepened from 40 to 45 feet, increasing the port's capacity to accommodate larger ships and handle more cargo. By 2023, the amount of container cargo the port handled was 80 percent above 2016 levels; and WHEREAS, This shipping throughput is forecasted to grow to 1.6 million container units by 2040, with a projected demand exceeding available capacity in the coming years; and WHEREAS, PhilaPort supports 12,100 jobs across all its facilities; and WHEREAS, In 2024, PhilaPort unveiled a 15-year plan to sustain and grow its capabilities through short term priorities, such as increasing container capacity by investing in two electric cranes, converting auto storage areas to container support, and acquiring properties on a strip on Delaware Avenue; and long term priorities which include deepening the Delaware River to 50 feet, and exploring new markets, such as cruise operations, liquefied natural gas, and hydrogen power; and WHEREAS, The 15-year plan also seeks to triple the port's capacity to handle containers from 1 million to 3 million units and 430,000 metric tons of cargo by adding 550,000 square feet of warehouse storage, further increasing available space; and WHEREAS, In 2025, the SouthPort Marine Terminal achieved a significant milestone of handling a total of 2 million cars through the port since its partnerships with Glovis America in 2010, an amount that is projected to grow to between 400,000 and 540,000 automobiles per year by 2040; and WHEREAS, Until November 2025, the Tioga Marine Terminal relied on diesel powered cranes installed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, which have since been dismantled and is now operating on electrical infrastructure to support zero-emission equipment; and WHEREAS, Equipment, such as electric cranes, dramatically increases the volume of cargo processed through the terminals, leading to increased employment. The port serves as a hub of operations, providing stable jobs with family sustaining wages and benefits to an estimated number of 12,000 Philadelphians. Without sufficient and updated equipment, job availability is limited; and WHEREAS, With an increasing demand and expanded capabilities, PhilaPort is expected to generate an additional 9,000 direct jobs and 10,000 indirect jobs, over $2.84 billion in business revenue, and $170 million in new state and local taxes by 2040; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby authorizes the Committee on Legislative Oversight to hold hearings on the status, operations, and economic impact of the Port of Philadelphia to ensure its growth and operations positions the City of Philadelphia as a 21st century commerce hub. ..End