Wilmington, DE tonnage up 26% in 2011

   Diamond State Port Corp. (DSPC) reported for 2011 that Delaware’s Port of Wilmington handled 5,084,478 tons of cargo, a 26 percent increase year over year, and achieved the highest general cargo tonnage throughput since the 1995 acquisition of the port by the state.
   DSPC is a state entity which owns and operates the Port of Wilmington.
   Increased import and export tonnage was experienced in all major cargo categories during the past year. Based on the port’s 2011 statistics, Wilmington retains its leadership position in the following trade categories:

• North America’s No. 1 port for imported perishable cargo.
• Largest banana port in the USA and the second largest in the world.
• The nation’s leading port for juice concentrates.
• Largest loading port for cattle exports on the U.S. East Coast.

   The largest growth in tonnage was recorded in the dry bulk segment, which increased by 106 percent to 1.451 million tons. Breakbulk, roll-on/roll-off and livestock cargoes totaled 487,770 tons, a 25.68 percent increase. 
   At 1,750,451 tons, containerized shipments of perishables, forest products and vehicles exceeded last year’s results by 5.5 percent. Overall container volume increased by 2.85 percent for 189,940 TEUs.
   Bulk Liquid products also reached 1.395 million tons, surpassing 2010’s volume by 9.57 percent, DSPC said.