Maersk Sealand to call on Philadelphia’s Packer Marine Terminal with new Oceania service

Philadelphia’s premier container handling facility, Packer Avenue Marine Terminal (PAMT), operated by Holt Cargo Systems, Inc., has been picked by Maersk Sealand as the sole US East Coast call on its new Oceania container service, which will link Australia and New Zealand with both the US East and West Coasts.

The fortnightly container service, commencing September 2001, will be an important new carrier for Australian and New Zealand refrigerated and dry cargo exports. The decision by Maersk Sealand, the world’s largest containership line, to opt for PAMT is seen as a major boost for both the terminal and the Philadelphia region.

"Our new Oceania service will inject more choices and options into the Philadelphia shipping community by creating a larger gateway to trade" noted David W. Borchik, Maersk Inc., Director for the Mid-Atlantic region based in Cherry Hill, NJ.

The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority is currently developing specifications for two new Post-Panamax container cranes scheduled for installation at the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal in the near future.

PAMT, a 110 acre facility served by five gantry cranes and located on the west bank of the Delaware River, boasts 2.2 million cubic feet (204,380 cbm) of on-dock refrigerated warehousing as well as over 400 power points for refrigerated container storage. A large proportion of imported reefer cargoes, especially of meat products, are devanned on-dock for USDA inspection before transiting to their final destinations.