Officials in charge of planning the build out of the Port of Wilmington expansion at Edgemoor say “minor” activity is underway and construction for the project is nearing.
Minor activity at the site includes removing and recovering what can be used of railway that existed previously there, according to Diamond State Port Corporation Interim Executive Director Brian Devine.
"There are milestones being reached there," he said.
The public-private partnership's construction phase 1 timeline looms, set to run through the later part of 2026, and through 2027 and 2028.
Devine said by late 2028, the project will, "be ramping up" to receive the large ship-to-shore cranes, characteristic of a large port. "Major construction" will take place in late 2028. The port will be operational, "as we move into 2029."
But when co-chair of the Port of Wilmington Expansion Taskforce State Rep. Frank Cooke asked for specifics Monday, details from the Diamond State Port Corporation and Enstructure were limited.
DSPC officials alluded to setting dates for groundbreaking and the start of construction during its last couple meetings and task force updates.
"I just want to make sure that... nothing is putting up any barriers toward that," Cooke said. He asked Devine about progress made since the project's last update in early June.
Devine said regulatory approval from DNREC required for the project's first phase, "was received in the past few weeks." And "notices to proceed" are issued for construction and dredging for the long-awaited expansion at the Edgemoor site near Wilmington.
But Devine said it will be "a few months" before construction is "fully in swing."
Cooke said he would like commitments in writing, and constituents are paying attention to progress with the port’s plans.
"We're groundbreaking everything else in the state of Delaware," Cooke said. "I want the Port of Wilmington to be involved in that also. It's a big deal."
DSPC officials said construction will be underway by the time an official ceremony happens.
Devine said, "it's been a difficult coordination" for an official groundbreaking. A date is dependent on the availability of federal officials to attend.
The public-private partnership agreed on how to divide out increased cost estimates for the project last month.
With the added cost, the state is set to kick in an additional $110 million. When questioned on where this money will come from on June 3, Gov. Matt Meyer did not say specifically.
In 2024, Gov. John Carney said the state planned to use $195 million from the state's excess unclaimed property reserve to cover costs at the Edgemoor expansion. The choice earned criticism because of legal challenges to Delaware's escheatment process.
Meyer described the state's coverage of increased port costs as "one time money” that comes from "state government coffers" that, "we'll discuss at the appropriate time."
