North Carolina Ports Highlights Role in Cold Supply Chain During Third Annual Cold Chain Summit

November 7, 2019

Wilmington, N.C. – North Carolina Ports highlighted its importance in the cold supply chain during the Cold Chain Summit 2019: The Big Chill Wednesday. This is the third year NC Ports has hosted the event which focuses on the latest trends in the North Carolina agriculture and grocery sectors and the global cold chain industry.

“North Carolina Ports continues to play a critical role as a cold gateway by supporting exports for North Carolina agriculture companies and imports for the state’s grocery sector,” said Hans Bean, North Carolina Ports Senior Vice President of Business Development, during the NC Ports Overview session. “We continue to see record volumes of refrigerated cargo move through the Port of Wilmington. In fact, NC Ports has nearly quadrupled its refrigerated volume since FY14. This is evidence NC Ports is becoming the premier cold port for shippers.”

In order to further support NC Ports’ perishables portfolio, the organization is investing more than $14 million to improve the Port of Wilmington’s refrigerated container capacity. Earlier this year, North Carolina Ports broke ground on a new refrigerated container yard which will triple the Port’s refrigerated container capacity.

“This project will provide us the ability to stack refrigerated containers and consolidate all refrigerated cargo into one section of our terminal,” discussed Bean during the Cold Chain Summit. “The new yard is important in keeping up with our landside efficiencies as it will boost our ability to turn trucks hauling refrigerated goods.”

The construction project is part of North Carolina Ports’ broader container terminal expansion plan which will grow the Port of Wilmington’s annual throughput capacity from more than 600,000 TEUs to roughly 1.2 million. The new refrigerated container yard is expected to be completed in 2020.

The Cold Chain Summit also featured a keynote address from North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, an economic analysis of the agriculture trade landscape by North Carolina State University Professor Dr. Blake Brown, an economic development outlook by North Carolina’s Southeast Joe Melvin and Eseksen Advisory’s William C. Duggan, Jr. as well as two panel discussions with leading industry experts.

About North Carolina Ports

North Carolina’s ports in Wilmington and Morehead City and Charlotte Inland Port 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.