On October 29, 2019, PhilaPort opened the most advanced automobile import processing facility in the United States. The 155-acre Southport Auto Terminal and Vehicle Processing Center (VPC) will finish 350,000 Hyundai, Kia and other original equipment manufacturer (OEM) vehicles per year.
Glovis, a company that specialises in automotive vehicle logistics and processing, is the operator the facility under a long-term lease. PhilaPort and Glovis have been partners for 10 years and are seeking additional OEM customers for the terminal; their goal is to more than double vehicle throughput while handling current business more efficiently.
The new 108,000 sq.ft (10,000 sq.m) VPC is equipped with a state-of-the-art bodyshop including two car washes with two double prep stations and two joined double paint booths. Heated floors boost productivity during the winter and the VPC is capable of servicing 200 cars per hour and fully processing over 1,000 cars daily.
Many of the unique features of this site are not found in other ports. Southport was built as one continuous facility, located directly adjacent to PhilaPort’s Pier 122 – a dedicated auto berth. This layout allows autos to be discharged from the vessel and driven straight to the first point of rest, located on the same terminal.
The facility is also the only one of its kind on the east coast built above the 100-year floodplain. Southport is located at a unique nexus of deep-water and highways and is serviced by two class I railroads – CSX and NS – with additional service by CN. The new facility will result in about 110 ship calls per year at PhilaPort.
In addition to the new Southport facility, PhilaPort’s nearby Pier 98 Annex can process 600 cars per day, with 100 acres of parking and rail infrastructure. PhilaPort has been a national leader for Glovis in KPI performance.
In 2019, PhilaPort handled over 200,000 automobiles in total, most of which were imports. Glovis and PhilaPort are working to increase export volumes through the new facility. The port has exported Tesla and other OEM cars, used vehicles and heavy equipment over the past few years. Glovis and PhilaPort are in discussions with other OEMs about additional export volumes.
Finally, looking forward: PhilaPort is developing additional berths for the Southport Auto Terminal: Federal permits are in hand, planning work is underway, and preparatory work has been started.
PhilaPort is in the heart of the US mid- Atlantic population centre, making it an ideal distribution point for automobiles and ro-ro cargoes.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
• New VPC is the best and most efficient facility on the East Coast
• The cost of new facility is $110m
• The total size of the Southport Auto Terminal is 155 acres.
• Capacity: Over 350,000 autos per year
• Two ro-ro berths at connecting Pier 122
• Parking area elevated to the 100-year flood plain
• Dedicated export lot
• Two VPCs - three car-wash stations, two double prep stations, two joined double paint booths
• Serviced by two class I railroads: CSX and Norfolk Southern, with a CN connection to Canada
