Port project gets approval

Now awaiting the governor’s signature, House Bill 666 would transfer approximately 180 acres east of the Navy Yard in South Philadelphia from the state to the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority.

That would enable Port of Philadelphia’s expansion, which shipping companies consider a prerequisite for increased use. The transfer is for $1 and Keller said the it could lead to the creation of 25,000 jobs.

When the Panama Canal deepening finishes in 2014, Keller said, there could be an additional 100 million containers for East Coast ports. Philadelphia’s current 5 percent market share would raise the container volume to 5 million, on par with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

“This was a very important step to getting out of the recession by putting people back to work,” Keller said.