Sediment accumulation at the confluence of the Christina and Delaware rivers is restricting access for fully loaded fruit vessels at the Port of Wilmington in the United States. The port, known for banana imports, has recently been unable to accommodate certain Chiquita Brands ships at full draft.
According to port workers and state and federal officials cited by Spotlight Delaware, vessels carrying Chiquita fruit have diverted to ports in Chester and Philadelphia over the past month due to reduced channel depth. At those facilities, up to one-third of the cargo has been discharged before vessels return to Wilmington with lighter loads to complete unloading via the Christina River.
While this arrangement has maintained cargo flows, port labor hours in Wilmington have declined. In some instances, unloading at upstream ports has involved non-union labor, prompting concern among Delaware workers.
"Normally, we'll work the ship around-the-clock for two days, or at least a day and a half. Now we're lucky to get one around-the-clock," said Port of Wilmington union leader William Ashe Jr.
Ashe indicated that the vessels affected have been Chiquita ships, not those carrying perishables from Dole. "They tell me that the draft is deeper on Chiquita than it is on Dole ships", he said.
Spokespersons for Enstructure, the port operator, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers attributed the sediment buildup to delays in a scheduled dredging contract. Army Corps spokesman Stephen Rochette said the project was delayed due to a contractual protest and prior commitments by the selected contractor.
"We awarded this contract in the fall and experienced a delay due to a contractual protest from another bidder. Additionally, the selected contractor had other project commitments as well that impacted their start time," Rochette said.
Further delays occurred during a cold period when the U.S. Coast Guard prohibited dredging due to ice conditions on the Delaware River. Rochette stated that expedited dredging operations are set to begin, adding, "Our contractor is mobilizing equipment and setting up the pipeline."
The dredging contract for Wilmington Harbor had originally been scheduled to begin last October and was to be completed next month, according to the Army Corps website. The Wilmington Harbor project is one of 33 maintenance dredging projects in the Philadelphia region.
The interim executive director of the Diamond State Port Corporation said water depth tests conducted late last fall indicated the channel "remained operational," noting that weather events can accelerate sediment accumulation. Port labor representatives have questioned the timing of maintenance dredging relative to peak fruit season volumes.
Chiquita did not respond to requests for comment.
Source: Spotlight Delaware
