The North Carolina Ports Authority (NC Ports) is prepared to welcome the largest container vessels arriving on the US East Coast, following the completion of Phase II of the Turning Basin Expansion Project at the Port of Wilmington.
Specifically, through this expansion the port will be able to accommodate ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs) with a length of 1.200 feet.
The completion of this project ushers NC Ports and the Port of Wilmington into the big ship era. We recognize the importance of this project to our ocean carriers and are thrilled to offer expanded capabilities to better support their business needs.
…said Paul J. Cozza, Executive Director, North Carolina Ports.
For the records, the expansion project widened the turning basin in the Cape Fear River from 1.400 feet to 1.524 feet.
In fact, the additional 124 feet allows 14.000-TEU vessels to enter and turnaround in the Wilmington Navigational Harbor safely and efficiently.
The 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.
This project would not have been possible without the support and collaboration of our local, state and federal partners. Their efforts helped us ensure the project remained on track especially throughout the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus.
… Brian E. Clark, Chief Operating Officer, North Carolina Ports continued.
Concluding, the terminal’s expansion is expected to double the port’s annual throughput capacity to 1.2 million TEUs, while triple its refrigerated container capacity and feature a new container gate complex with increased lanes concerning inbound and outbound truck traffic.
