The Wilmington morning star., 1946-02-10
Your Wilmington Today

discharge directly from. ship to
freight train. The largest single
warehouse is the Wilmington
Terminal with 1898 square feet
Of warehouse space for fertilizer
and general cargo. Its handling
facilities include the sole belt con-
veyor system in the port. The
Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard
railways serve all of the ware
houses, as well as afford rail trans
portation to and from a majority
of the other wharves in the city's
port.
Many persons have expressed
wonderment why the port did not
enjoy a more thriving shipping
business during the war years.
Too, it was frequently suggested
that some of the ships launched
in the local yard might well have
loaded cargo from Wilmington.
The answer to both questions lies
in the limited storage facilities
and the limited handling equip
ment.
Simons touched briefly and in
directly on this subject when he
said in his Economic and Indust-
rial Survey:
"Cargo handled at Whining
ton in the past did not require
heavy lift equipment; ships
tackle for general cargo and
straight-line cranes with buck
cts for fertilizer materials be-
ing the most cOmmonly-used
type of handling equipment at
the port -
One other factor. in the opinion
of men in the shipping business,
works against Wilmington. That
is the ports inadequate facilities
for refueling vessels. A majority
of cargo ships are coal-burners.
It costs more than twice as much
to re-fuel vessel in Wilmington as
it does in Norfolk. The difference in
the cost of the coal is not so great,
but the man-hours required to per-
form the job represents SUBJ
stantial difference, hence increased
cost. 1t is argued, and probably
with some logic: that more modern
bunker loading facilities would be
installed here if there were the
business to justify the investment.
Perhaps that is true; but on the
other hand, it is no secret that
ships-oWners are anxious to make
as few stops as necessary. It is
not economical to 60 to Norfolk
for coal, and then travel another
Az miles to Wilmington to pick up
cargo.
Favored Rate Position
The port interests of Wilmington
have performed remarkable job
in securing for the city favorable
freight rates, both on first-class
and commodity-class goods. A
furniture manufacturer in High
Point, for instance, can ship more
cheaply to Wilmington than to any
other port on the Atlantic coast
A wholesale distributor in the
Piedmont sector of the Carolinas
can save monay-in freight rates
by receiving many commodities
through the Port of Wilmington.
But it inevitably comes back to
the two stumbling blocks: Will
mington lacks the terminal storage
space for many types of goods, and
its per-ton handling charges for
loading or unloading are dispro-
portionate in relation to other ports
competing for the same market.
What is the solution?
The obvious answer is coordi-
mated development OF the ports
facilities. The job is a tremend-
Gus one; one that may well run
into the millions Of dollars. 1t is
unlikely, most port interests agree,
that any private group can finance
a program of the type necessary
to restore the port to a level where
it can take advtange OF its geo.
graphical and trade position.
Two Courses Open
Two courses are open, assuming
that private interests cannot I'M
dertake the job: Cd A city or city
county development to include
modern terminals, re-fueling faci-
lities and cargo-handling facilities;
or. ca a state-financed develop
ment along the same lines.
The Port of Wilmington is not
exclusively the city's or county's.
II is tremendous potential asset
to the State of North Carolina, and,
tn a measure, potential boon to
sizeable portion of northeastern
South Carolina.
industries of mind to locate in
tho Southland the trend is strong
W. in that direction-look to a
regions port facilities for low-cost
Transportation, both for raw ma
terials and for the finished product.
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