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Maritime Man of the Year 2000 Delaware Governor Tom Carper will present the John J. Babiarz Maritime Award 2000 to Secretary of State Edward J. Freel at the Port of Wilmington Maritime Society’s 23rd annual dinner on November 15th. The award was created in 1999 to recognize those individuals who have demonstrated an outstanding dedication to development and progress at the Port of Wilmington |
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Secretary
Freel has been Chairman of the state-owned Diamond State Port
Corporation since 1995, when the State purchased the Port from the City
of Wilmington. Together with Governor Carper, Secretary of State Freel
was instrumental in successfully negotiating the Port acquisition with
Wilmington Mayor James H. Sills.
During his five-year tenure as Chairman of the Port Corporation, Secretary Freel has been a tireless advocate for the Port of Wilmington and has contributed his dedication, hard work and leadership to the Port’s dramatic growth and expansion. He has been instrumental in obtaining |
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State
capital bond bill funds for the Port and investing over $76 million in
new and revitalized port facilities and infrastructure, helping to
retain and expand existing trades and attract new customers and shipping
lines to Wilmington.
Under Secretary Freel’s leadership and vision, the Port of Wilmington built the nation’s largest dockside cold storage warehouse facility and became the Number One port in the US for imports of bananas, fresh fruit and produce, juice concentrates and frozen meat. Wilmington also maintained its role as a leading auto port for Volkswagen, Audi, Ford and General Motors, and recently embarked on a $30 million expansion project to develop a new auto carrier berth and auto terminal facility on the Delaware River. This first-ever expansion onto the Delaware River will finally realize the dream and plans of the original founders of the Port of Wilmington, who in 1923 envisioned future docks and port facilities out on the Delaware River, as well as along the Christina River. One of Secretary Freel’s most lasting accomplishments was to play a leading role, along with Governor Carper, in bringing Volkswagen back to Wilmington after the German automaker decided in 1996 to close its auto terminal and consolidate at other east Coast ports. Since Volkswagen’s return in 1997, Secretary Freel has worked to strengthen the Port’s ties with Volkswagen of America and their parent company in Germany, Volkswagen AG. This bore fruit earlier this year when Volkswagen signed a new three-year lease with the Diamond State Port Corporation and made Wilmington its top US seaport for Volkswagen and Audi imports. According to Adam McBride, Executive Director of the Port of Wilmington, “Secretary Freel’s strong and visionary leadership has helped make Wilmington one of North America’s most important gateways for international trade, with over 450 ship calls and 5 million tons of cargo per year. The Port has also become one of Delaware’s most important economic assets and a job-creating engine for the State, with over 4,900 jobs attributed to port-related activities.” Founded
in 1923, the Port
of Wilmington is an important asset for the local and
regional economy, generating over 4,900 jobs and contributing over $16
million in annual tax revenues to State and local government. The
Port is owned and operated by the Diamond State Port Corporation, a
corporation of the State of Delaware. For further information,
digital photos, free tours of the Port and free speakers contact: Vered
Nohi-Becker, Marketing Services Manager at the Port of Wilmington @
(302) 472-7819, e-mail: vnbecker@port.state.de.us
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