Friday, June 27, 2025
Home Port News Expansion's plans for NC Ports

Expansion’s plans for NC Ports

To serve larger container ships coming into the Port of Wilmington, N.C. Ports is seeking to move forward with the second phase of its turning basin expansion.

Phase two of the turning basin expansion is part of the port’s $200 million capital improvements plan, according to Bethany Welch, spokeswoman for N.C. Ports. The second phase of the expansion is needed to allow the largest vessels calling the East Coast to “safely and more efficiently turn around in Wilmington’s harbor,” she said.

To accommodate the growth, the turning basin expansion plan is to increase the basin from the 1,400 feet that it is today to 1,500 feet, said Brian Clark, N.C. Ports’ chief operating officer, at the recent Cold Chain Summit held last week at the Wilmington Convention Center.

That expansion would be able to handle to handle up to a 14,000 TEU (20-foot equivalent unit) vessel. Cost estimates for the basin expansion are still ongoing, Welch said.​

“That’s almost the last step to allow us to handle these larger vessels that are already cascaded down the coast,” Clark said previously.

As part of the capital improvement plan, the first phase of the turning basin expansion was completed in August 2016, which included the removal of a bulk pier and dredging to expand the turning basin from 1,200 feet to 1,400 feet.

With ongoing berth improvements at the port (repairs and upgrades to its concrete docks), the first phase of the turning basin expansion and the addition of new cranes, the size of the ships arriving at the Port of Wilmington have been growing this year.

The largest to ever be serviced by the port, recently came through in late October.

Read more on WilmingtonBiz.





Latest Posts

Saudi Arabia port agreements suggest strategic commitment despite regional turmoil

Saudi Arabia has signed long-term port concession agreements worth over $586 million with two major global operators. Beyond infrastructure, this deal sends a powerful signal:...

Trump’s icebreaker gambit: US sets course for Arctic power play against Russia

In a move that could reshape Arctic geopolitics and redefine shipping lanes for decades, former US President Donald Trump revealed that he has offered...

Port of Barcelona strengthens position as investment magnet with new agreements

Port of Barcelona Management Board has approved four strategic initiatives to enhance competitiveness, expand logistics capacity, advance sustainability, and modernize facilities. At first, Terminal Investments...

Global bunker prices on downward trend

Global bunker indices tracked by Marine Bunker Exchange (MABUX) fell sharply in the 26th week of the year, driven by expectations that a ceasefire...

Mawani signs privatization contracts for cargo terminals at eight Saudi ports

In a major step toward advancing Saudi Arabia’s logistics infrastructure, the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) has signed privatization contracts for multipurpose cargo terminals at...
error: Content is protected !!