Source: NCDA&CS, 4/18/22


The North Carolina Port of Wilmington is an important place for the agriculture industry of North Carolina due to the amount of imports and exports it moves each year. In fact, roughly 1,000 transactions of products, both ag and non-ag related, come through the port each day. The port provides many opportunities for farmers to export their products overseas, including sweet potatoes, produce, tobacco, lumber and meat products. “If you think about the range of agriculture products in North Carolina, there is probably an export opportunity for virtually all of them,” said Tom Guthrie, Director of Key Accounts and Commercial Development for the Port of Wilmington. “Agriculture is vital to the economy of North Carolina and we are proud to be the bridge that connects our state’s number one industry with the rest of the world.”

Over the last few years, the North Carolina State Ports Authority has completed a number of capital improvements at the Port of Wilmington, many of which open up opportunities for our agricultural community. One of these improvements was expanding the entry and exit gates on the port terminal. The new complex features seven inbound lanes (previously four) and six outbound lanes (previously three) moving truckers quickly and efficiently through the gate, onto the port, and back on the road in a timely manner. “All containers enter through these gates and we capture all transactional information, as well as truck information, before entering the terminal,” Tom said. “This latest investment, along with our other completed and planned improvements, will draw additional ocean services and open up greater availability and slots to move agriculture products from our state.” The new South Gate complex enables N.C. Ports to meet increasing container volume while continuing to improve on the fastest truck turn times on the East Coast.

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