Philadelphia Port Plans $837M Expansion, First New Berth in 50 Years

Philadelphia port sets $837 million expansion, including first new berth in 50 years

October 13, 2026 — Pennsylvania officials have announced an $837 million expansion of the Port of Philadelphia, a project that will increase container and automobile capacity and add the port’s first new berth in more than five decades.

Gov. Josh Shapiro said the state will provide approximately $371.5 million in capital funding. That investment is expected to help secure at least $200 million in private-sector spending and $266 million in federal support. Officials said the combined investment could create more than 6,000 jobs and generate $45 million in state and local tax revenue.

The expansion is being described as the largest in PhilaPort’s history. It will include construction of a new 2,000-foot berth at the Southport Marine Terminal, along with dredging, land reclamation, property improvements, new cranes and other cargo-handling equipment.

For trucking companies and drivers serving the port, the project is significant because it is aimed at expanding the amount of cargo moving through Philadelphia. Officials expect container capacity across the port to increase by 122%. Automobile capacity is projected to rise by 18%, allowing the port to handle more than 100,000 additional vehicles.

Those capacity increases will be supported by improvements at several locations. The state funding includes $31 million for dredging at Southport Berth I and $145 million for reclamation work at Southport Berth II and the North Wharf. Another $109.4 million is designated for land-related work, while $58.1 million will support cranes and other equipment.

The plan also calls for the redevelopment of the 152-acre Mustin Yard parcel next to Southport. The property is expected to be used for both automobile and container cargo, giving the port additional space for handling and storing freight.

Private-sector participation includes $100 million commitments from Holt Logistics and Glovis America. Holt is one of the port’s major customers, while Glovis specializes in finished-vehicle logistics. Scott Cornell, Glovis America’s chief executive, said the project is the largest expansion he has seen among the 21 ports where the company operates.

Construction will begin after permitting and contracting terms are completed. Rich Lazer, PhilaPort’s chief executive officer and executive director, said ground could be broken in early 2027.

PhilaPort has been named the nation’s most productive container port for three consecutive years, according to officials. In 2025, the port handled a record 889,268 twenty-foot equivalent units, or TEUs. That volume was smaller than the totals reported by the Port of New York and New Jersey and the Port of Savannah, but Philadelphia serves as a specialized Mid-Atlantic gateway for containerized goods, automobiles and other cargo.

The port supported more than 8,000 jobs and contributed nearly $1.2 billion in economic output across Pennsylvania in 2025, according to state data. Officials project that port-related employment will grow to about 14,000 as the expansion is completed.

For professional drivers, the project’s most direct effect will be the creation of additional capacity for containers and finished vehicles moving through the Philadelphia waterfront. More terminal space, berth capacity and cargo equipment are intended to help the port handle larger volumes as freight moves between ocean vessels, warehouses and inland destinations.

The expansion comes as East Coast ports continue investing in additional capacity. Philadelphia’s project is intended to strengthen PhilaPort’s position in global trade while giving shippers more room to move containerized and automobile cargo through the region.

Shapiro said the investment builds on the port’s existing role in Pennsylvania’s economy. The new berth, he said, represents a major step in developing PhilaPort as a larger ocean terminal and supporting future cargo growth.