Port Development: Corpus Christi, Philadelphia, Trois-Rivières

 

Port Corpus Christi Commissioners approved a lease agreement with CCI Corpus Christi Infrastructure LLC ("CCI") for approximately 55 acres of land on the north side of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel in the Inner Harbor for purposes of constructing and operating a marine terminal facility for export of U.S. crude oil, condensate and refined petroleum products via a new oil dock.

 

Under the terms of the lease agreement, the port will construct a new oil dock ("Oil Dock 22"), and CCI will install the loading arms, handling equipment, storage tanks and other facilities. The Port will dredge a berth to accommodate Suezmax tankers at Oil Dock 22, and CCI will have exclusive use of the Dock 22 berth.

 

From 2016 to 2017, the Port’s crude oil exports increased by 267 percent, from an average of 83,488 BPD, to 306,334 BPD.

 

 

The first visual affirmation of a new era of growth arrived at The Port of Philadelphia. PhilaPort received its first two super post-Panamax cranes at the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal after a 90-day journey from Shanghai, China. Manufactured by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC), the new cranes will be 13 feet taller than the neighboring Walt Whitman Bridge with its boom in the upwards position.

 

PhilaPort, along with Packer Avenue Marine Terminal’s operator – Astro Holdings, Inc. (a Holt Logistics affiliate) – have purchased the cranes as part of Governor Tom Wolf’s $300 million Port Development Plan to increase cargo-handling capacity and efficiency.

 

In the past decade, vessel size has grown exponentially creating a new class of container ships known as ULCVs (Ultra Large Container Vessel) with a 10,000 to 20,000 container capacity. Even before the arrival of the cranes, this past winter PhilaPort saw the largest containership that ever called the Port the M/V MSC Shuba B a 12,200 TEU vessel. These new container gantry cranes will be capable of discharging containers from these new larger vessels and have a cost of $12m each.

 

In November of 2016, Governor Wolf announced a $300 Port Development Plan. As part of the plan, Packer Avenue Marine Terminal operator, Astro Holdings, agreed to purchase one crane, as well as undertake other planned improvements to the facility.

 

In the first quarter of 2019, PhilaPort will be adding another two identical cranes and Astro Holdings another one crane at Packer Avenue Marine Terminal, bringing the total number of cranes at Packer Avenue Marine Terminal to seven.

 

 

As a result of the implementation of the Quebec government's Maritime Strategy, the City of Trois-Rivières, Innovation et Développement Économique Trois-Rivières and the Port of Trois-Rivières has committed to creating an IP Zone in Trois-Rivières. Agreements to this effect were concluded in 2016. A local committee of partner representatives was created to oversee the project. These partners are proud to announce the commencement of prospecting activities to attract businesses to the Trois-Rivières IP Zone.

 

The local committee has established the delimitation of the IP Zone, a development plan, an action plan, a prospecting strategy and a financing plan. They have worked tirelessly to complete the action plan. Various studies have been conducted to identify opportunities as well as niche markets. To support the prospecting activities to be deployed in the coming months, a brochure with a special insert and a promotional video were produced. A new website has also been launched.

 

More detailed results of these projects will be presented to companies as well as to the various partners during a joint information day with the Bécancour IP Zone, which will be held on Monday, April 30, at the Auberge Godefroy. This event will also be an opportunity to present the various financial programs, which companies will have access to through the IP Zone.