Construction has begun on the $669 million Delaware Container Terminal (DCT) at the former Edgemoor industrial site in Wilmington, Delaware, marking the start of a major expansion of the state’s container-handling infrastructure.
Enstructure and the Diamond State Port Corporation (DSPC) held the groundbreaking on September 14, 2026. The project is being developed through a public-private partnership between Enstructure and the State of Delaware.
The terminal is expected to open in early 2029.
DCT will occupy 137 acres and is designed to nearly double container capacity across the Delaware River port complex. At full scale, the facility will have a 2,700-foot quay and 45-foot water depth, allowing it to handle container ships carrying up to 16,000 TEUs.
The terminal is planned to handle as much as 1.2 million TEUs annually.
Major Port Expansion
The new terminal will provide additional capacity for containers, retail products and perishable goods moving through the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast markets.
Its location provides access to Class I rail service and major highways, including I-495, I-95 and I-295, as well as the New Jersey and Pennsylvania turnpikes.
The terminal will serve major population centers along the Northeast Corridor. About 50 million consumers live within 250 miles of the terminal, while roughly 120 million live within 500 miles.
The facility will use seven electric ship-to-shore gantry cranes and 24 electric rubber-tired gantry cranes for cargo handling.
The terminal will accommodate larger vessels and provide additional capacity for ocean carriers and cargo owners serving regional supply chains.
$669M Investment Structure
The total project investment is $669 million.
Enstructure is investing $225 million, while the State of Delaware is providing $325 million. Another $119 million comes through federal grants awarded to Delaware for the project.
The federal funding includes support from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Ports Grant Program.
Part of that funding will support zero-emission port equipment, emissions monitoring, community engagement and workforce development.
DSPC owns the Edgemoor site. Enstructure is developing the terminal and is expected to operate it under a long-term concession agreement once construction is complete.
Electric Equipment and Emissions Controls
DCT will operate as an electric-powered cargo-handling facility.
The electric cranes and supporting charging infrastructure will eliminate diesel exhaust from the equipment and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and operating noise compared with conventional diesel machinery.
The project will also maintain an emissions inventory and conduct air, water, waste-management and environmental monitoring as required.
Federal Clean Ports funding will support operational data collection and performance monitoring as the terminal begins operating.
Jobs and Economic Impact
The project will create thousands of jobs in construction, maritime operations, logistics and the broader supply chain.
Construction and maritime labor organizations are participating in the project, including the International Longshoremen’s Association and the Delaware Building and Construction Trades.
The expansion will strengthen Delaware’s ability to compete for container traffic and support businesses that rely on regional and international supply chains.
Enstructure and DSPC have held more than 30 community meetings and site tours and engaged with more than 20 local organizations during the planning process.
Those discussions have covered construction activity, traffic, environmental remediation, project timing and employment opportunities.
With groundbreaking now complete, the project moves from planning into construction, with the terminal targeting an early 2029 opening.
Additionally, the Delaware Container Terminal is not the only major U.S. port project moving forward to expand container capacity. In Texas, Port Houston is advancing its 318-acre Barbours Cut Northside terminal expansion into federal review, adding another major investment aimed at accommodating growing cargo demand and strengthening supply-chain infrastructure.
Factsheet: Delaware Container Terminal (DCT) Expansion
- Location: Wilmington, Delaware, at the former Edgemoor industrial site
- Project value: $669 million
- Developer/operator: Enstructure
- Public partner/site owner: Diamond State Port Corporation (DSPC)
- Private investment: $225 million
- State investment: $325 million
- Federal grants: $119 million
- Site area: 137 acres
- Quay length: 2,700 feet
- Channel/berth depth: 45 feet
- Vessel capacity: Up to 16,000 TEUs
- Annual container capacity: Up to 1.2 million TEUs
- Ship-to-shore cranes: 7 electric units
- Rubber-tired gantry cranes: 24 electric units
- Expected opening: Early 2029
- Employment: Thousands of jobs projected across construction, maritime, logistics and supply-chain industries
- Project structure: Public-private partnership between Enstructure and the State of Delaware
- Federal program: EPA Clean Ports Grant Program
- Primary transportation links: I-495, I-95, I-295, New Jersey Turnpike and Pennsylvania Turnpike
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