Port of Wilmington Sees Significant Container Volume Growth

October 10, 2014

Wilmington, N.C. – The North Carolina State Ports Authority fiscal year continues to build on its strong start after an impressive August and September in container volumes at the Port of Wilmington.

The Ports closed the first quarter with an overall increase of 20 percent in container volumes. The growth is driven by a boost of port calls in the Ports’ Asian service lanes and expanded service offerings in the Latin America trade lane. Loyal North Carolina customers took advantage of the increased scope.

“Our Ports are an important economic generator for North Carolina, supporting over 65,000 jobs across our state,” said Governor Pat McCrory. “We can build on the strong success they are seeing through my 25-Year Vision for Transportation, which will bring infrastructure improvements to the Ports to help them continue this growth trend and better respond to the next generation of shipping vessels.”

“The changes we are making at the ports are paying off. We are thrilled to see continued signs of forward momentum and we want to expand opportunities at our ports,” said NCDOT Secretary Tony Tata.

Exporters and importers continue to recognize the Ports’ inland logistics advantage, high standards of customer service and operational efficiencies. Faster gate turn times and increased crane moves per hour have made the difference in the first quarter.

“The lack of congestion at the North Carolina Ports, along with unrivaled customer service, makes us easy to do business with and in the end, the choice ports on the east coast,” said Chief Executive Officer Paul J. Cozza. “Our container volumes are a result of increased service offerings and our commitment to meeting customer demands. We will work hard to sustain this positive momentum and carry it into the next quarter.”

About North Carolina Ports

North Carolina’s Ports in Wilmington and Morehead City, plus inland terminals in Charlotte and in Greensboro, link the state’s consumers, businesses and industry to world markets, and serve as magnets to attract new business and industry. Port activities contribute to $500 million each year in state and local tax revenues.