The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority announced Wednesday that $15 million in state funds will be released to the Port to continue the Delaware River Main Channel-Deepening project, which began last year. The project entails deepening the Delaware River's 103 mile main shipping channel from 40 to 45 feet.
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett made the announcement, and explained that "With ports up and down the East Coast deepening their navigation channels, Pennsylvania's international seaport in Philadelphia must keep pace to remain competitive in the growing international market," Governor Corbett told a large gathering of elected officials, maritime industry heads, labor and business leaders, and port workers. "A deeper river opens the way for world trade--an economic high tide of sorts."