Editing Port of Philadelphia (section)

== History ==

Philadelphia's port origins date to the city's 1682 founding, with the Delaware River providing the water access essential to colonial commerce. The port grew through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, handling trade that made Philadelphia one of America's leading cities. Wharves lined the Delaware waterfront, with goods flowing between ships and the warehouses and businesses that developed along the river.<ref name="philaport"/>

The port's peak relative importance came in the nineteenth century, when Philadelphia ranked among America's busiest ports. Competition from New York, which offered superior harbor characteristics and rail connections, gradually shifted the balance northward. Philadelphia remained important for specific trades—particularly petroleum and bulk commodities—while losing general cargo market share.<ref name="philaport"/>

Containerization revolutionized port operations beginning in the 1960s, requiring massive investment in specialized terminals that could handle standardized shipping containers. Philadelphia's relatively constrained waterfront and limited space for container yards presented challenges. The port developed container capacity but could not match the scale of New York/New Jersey or other major East Coast facilities.<ref name="philaport"/>