NC State Ports Authority

The North Carolina Ports team has seen back-to-back years of record intermodal rail volumes due to new and expanding programs utilizing the Port of Wilmington’s express rail products. This growth trend is expected to continue as work begins on an expanded intermodal rail yard that will add four new working tracks on terminal for loading and discharging containers. “The Queen City Express, Wilmington Midwest Express and Wilmington-Rocky Mount Express deliver reductions in cost, time, touches and emissions,” said Brian Clark, Executive Director, North Carolina Ports. “As a centrally located gateway with easy access to southern and mid-Atlantic states, the Port of Wilmington extends value inland with daily, high-performance rail products that deliver supply chain advantages to our customers.” These express intermodal services are true “on-dock” products with the capability to discharge directly to rail. They are also time-definite services, which means customers can plan with confidence for meeting key production and distribution dates. Learn more here:

Our Crane and Facilities Maintenance Departments built a new crane for the The Children's Museum of Wilmington! The crane is outfitted with a hand crank and magnetic spreader bar that will allow users to pick up container boxes and cargo. The Children's Museum team, along with help from the carpentry program at Cape Fear Community College, is currently in the process of rebuilding its NC Ports exhibit so that kids of all ages can learn more about logistics and maritime trade. We can't wait to see the finished product! 

Recent trade flows to SANY America's near-port warehouse and distribution facility highlight the advantages of utilizing the Port of Wilmington for import distribution solutions. Our team's service expertise across multiple cargo segments combined with the Port of Wilmington's extensive laydown and storage areas have enabled SANY to get products staged and ready for market faster. Wilmington’s near-port model benefits from the port’s industry-best gate turn times and ship-to-rail service. Truck drivers can get in and out of port gates in under 20 minutes for a single turn and under 30 minutes for a dual turn. Cargo requiring intermodal transit is immediately discharged off the vessel to on-dock rail without any dwell time.

It's National Intern Day!    From shadowing police officers to working directly with our port-user community on terminal, our summer interns receive valuable hands-on experience.    And we want to celebrate National Intern Day by introducing you to our amazing 2024 class of summer interns.    Chloe Bland, a forensic science major at Western Carolina University, is interning with our police department. Garrett Bullard, who is studying business administration and supply chain management at UNCW, is working with our containers team. Joseph Chung, also studying business administration and supply chain management at UNCW, is working with our general cargo team. Crew Detamore, an economics major at UNC-Chapel Hill, is interning with our planning and real estate department. And Nick Gallo, a computer science major at NC State University, is working with our IT team.    We are so grateful for the enthusiasm and dedication they bring to North Carolina Ports every single day!

Last week, state and federal officials traveled to Wilmington to officially announce a $242 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to help replace the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge. These funds, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will not only improve access to our coastal communities for daily commuters and visitors alike, but this grant will support the continued growth of our port. “The Port of Wilmington is an economic engine that moves hundreds of thousands of containers and over three million short tons of general cargo every year. And every week, several thousand truck drivers utilize the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge to move those goods to and from the Port,” said Susan Rabon, Chair, North Carolina State Ports Authority. “This bridge is a crucial piece of our region’s supply chain.” You can read more here: https://lnkd.in/epSdrav5

The new CBP Area Port Director for North Carolina, based in Charlotte, visited the Port of Wilmington this month to get a tour of our facilities and processes. Port Director Miguel A. Garza, Jr. and his dedicated team play an essential role in protecting and supporting trade across North Carolina’s Ports of Entry, and we are very grateful for their partnership. 

Yesterday, state and federal representatives announced the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge will be replaced with the help of a $242 million grant funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

North Carolina Ports continues to expand its roll-on/roll-off capabilities, which has led to an increase in finished vehicle imports. The Morehead City team and its partners handled several new ro/ro programs in FY24, including the import of finished vehicles like coach buses and commercial vans. “The Port of Morehead City has traditionally handled military vehicles and wheeled heavy machinery,” said Hans Bean, Chief Commercial Officer, North Carolina Ports. “These new rolling programs showcase the Port of Morehead City’s capabilities and strong commitment to service that is also applicable to the automotive segment.”

On this National Logistics Day, we would like to extend a huge thank you to the team members, partners, and stakeholders who play a vital role in delivering efficient, congestion-free service built around customer needs. Learn more about our cargo handling capabilities and get in touch with our team here: https://lnkd.in/djj_xPXq

Senior Project Manager Barry Addertion is retiring this week following 18 years of dedicated service at North Carolina Ports. After graduating from NC State University, Barry joined the United States Airforce, achieving his goal of becoming a Pilot. He served in the NC Air National Guard for over 20 years, retiring with the rank of Lt. Colonel. Barry’s public service also includes 10 years of engineering with the NC Department of Environment & Natural Resources. He started at NC Ports in May of 2006 as a Civil Engineer. Barry's fingerprints are all over the ports of Wilmington and Morehead City and the Charlotte Inland Port. He has led and executed projects that have been integral to the North Carolina Ports growth story, including the South Gate Container Complex and Refrigerated Container Yard in Wilmington and the Central Hardstand in Morehead City. Throughout his tenure, Barry has also become the in-house drone pilot, capturing everything from progress pictures to unique cargo to sweeping views of our ports hard at work. In addition to photos from Barry's recognition during this week’s Board meeting, we also included some of our favorite drone shots that he has taken through the years. Thank you, Barry, for your commitment and dedication to NC Ports and the state of North Carolina!