Construction on the Port of Wilmington Edgemoor expansion is set to start this summer, with a groundbreaking date expected in the next few weeks.
The new Delaware Container Terminal expected to be operational in late 2028.
The economic impact of the project is projected to deliver millions of dollars in local tax benefits, and thousands of new jobs tied directly and indirectly to the port.
Diamond State Port Corporation Executive Director Brian Devine said this month that the first phase will produce approximately 1,400 direct jobs. And by phase two, that should reach 2,000.
During the latest Port of Wilmington Expansion Task Force, the group’s chair, State Senator Darius Brown (D-New Castle) told stakeholders that port operator Enstructure and the DSPC need to communicate plans on recruitment and training for the new port jobs.
"With the expansion of the port to Edgmoor, I'd rather have these things already built in in place instead of trying to build them as we're as we're going into operation," said Brown, whose district includes the current port and the planned Edgemoor expamsion.
Taskforce member William Ashe Jr and vice president of the International Longshoreman’s Association (ILA), said recruitment has been taking place, which has involved Enstrucutre sending people to Baltimore for training to work on the port.
Devine added Brown can expect to hear more about workforce readiness as the port is built.
Brown said he wants to hear more about employment at the new port project during the next Task Force meeting. He also hopes the Diamond State Port Corporation board can provide a streamlined process to help become employable at the port.
"I don't want this to be a mid-Atlantic, economic boondoggle," Brown said. "I want to make sure that Delawareans are put to work and that we see Delaware tags. I want Delaware people that don't have cars, that are riding their bikes to work and get a car from working at the port."
Other union reps told Brown processes exist to onboard new employees for port work. And Enstructure offers training for new employees, which gets covered for people who opt to be employed through the union.
