The audit is the most comprehensive independent review of DSPC operations in three decades

DOVER, DE — The Delaware Office of Auditor of Accounts (AOA) issued a performance audit today of the Diamond State Port Corporation (DSPC), the State agency that owns the Port of Wilmington. The audit evaluated the effectiveness of DSPC’s operations, metrics, and financial reporting between 2021 and 2025, during which time DSPC received $233.2 million in State funds and $16.4 million in debt relief. Auditors also reviewed the accuracy and reliability of economic impact projections for the planned Edgemoor container facility.

The audit report is the most comprehensive independent review of DSPC’s operations since the State of Delaware purchased the Port of Wilmington in 1995. In the time period audited, DSPC canceled a 2018 concession agreement with Gulftainer (GT USA), and entered into a new agreement with current port operator Enstructure in 2023. In early 2025, the State transferred funds totaling nearly $200 million to DSPC, increasing the agency’s materiality and prompting AOA’s audit.

“As your State Auditor, I promised to lead this office to make Delaware government more transparent and accountable,” said State Auditor Lydia E. York. “That is what this report represents. I believe this performance audit sets a new standard for government transparency in our State.

“The Port of Wilmington is a critical economic driver for Delaware, and it is also our State’s largest single asset. I believe Delaware residents and lawmakers should have as much information as possible as taxpayers continue to invest in the future of the Port and Edgemoor. I want to thank the DSPC Board for their cooperation as our State enters into a new chapter of Edgemoor development.”

The performance audit report contains five findings, where auditors made determinations about DSPC performance compared to their identified scope and criteria. The findings include:

1. DSPC Board executive sessions that did not meet State requirements
2. Governance and oversight requirements of the DSPC Concession Agreements with GT USA and Enstructure not performed
3. Collection of concession payments from GT USA to DSPC not executed
4. Data for economic impact projections of Edgemoor project not up to date
5. DSPC access and inspection rights not enforced

Click here to view the full performance audit PDF online.

To read the complete report or subscribe to future releases, visit: https//auditor.delaware.gov/reports

The Office of Auditor of Accounts was established by Article III, Section 21 of the Delaware Constitution. AOA duties under 29 Del. C. c. 29 include:

• Reviewing state financial transactions
• Verifying that state revenues are properly collected and deposited
• Filing audit reports with the Governor, General Assembly, and other officials

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WILMINGTON, Del. – Today, Delaware Governor John Carney, U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons and U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester (all D-Del.) announced $127.5 million for Port Wilmington as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Ports Program, a $3 billion investment by the Biden-Harris Administration in zero-emission port equipment and infrastructure.

The Clean Ports Program was created by the historic Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that Senators Carper, Coons, and Representative Blunt Rochester championed in Congress. As Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works, Senator Carper was the primary author of the final environmental provisions in the IRA, including the Clean Ports Program at EPA. Senator Coons was a key negotiator of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, and as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, he has long fought to ensure critical infrastructure programs have the necessary resources to fund projects up and down our state, including at Port Wilmington. Representative Blunt Rochester’s legislation, H.R. 862, the Climate Action Planning for Ports Act, served as the framework for the Clean Ports program in the House version of the IRA.

“The Port has been a critical part of Delaware’s economy for decades,” said Governor Carney. “The investment announced today will ensure the Port continues to support good jobs and enhance environmental safety for years to come.”

“Our ports are vital to Delaware’s economic well-being, but for too long, pollution from diesel emissions have disproportionately impacted the vulnerable communities closest to them,” said Senator Carper, Chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee. “Port electrification is one solution that will clean up the air that nearby communities breathe while also addressing the climate crisis and creating new jobs. This is why I fought for the final Clean Ports Program in the Inflation Reduction Act. Investing in clean ports will put Delaware – and our nation – on the path to a brighter future with healthier communities, cleaner air, and a stronger economy.”

“Investing in our infrastructure strengthens our national security and builds a stronger economy where everyone can thrive,” said U.S. Senator Chris Coons. “As Delaware’s member of the Appropriations Committee, I’m proud to have secured this funding for the Port Wilmington that will support good-paying, union jobs for First State workers. As we increase economic growth and competitiveness through investments in Delaware’s infrastructure, we should look for more investments like this one that advance climate resilience, reduce inflation, and further equip Delaware to meet the needs of the 21st century.”

“The resiliency of Port Wilmington is crucial to the strength of our economy, our workers, and our supply chains,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester, member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “I’m proud to have delivered this significant investment in Port Wilmington through the Inflation Reduction Act’s Clean Ports Program, which is based on my Climate Action Planning for Ports Act. The goal of my bill was to reduce carbon emissions to improve public health and lower the environmental impact of our ports. Today’s investment meets that goal with urgency and equity, while advancing the Port’s clean energy future and benefiting our environmental justice communities.”

“It’s one thing to talk about environmental justice, it’s another thing to do something about it,” said Delaware Secretary of State and Chairman of Diamond State Port Corporation, Jeffrey Bullock. “For years, people have been talking about the importance of cleaning up our ports and using “green” technology to better protect our workers and the people living in surrounding communities, but the money has never been available. This grant is going to make a huge difference by giving the existing port of Wilmington, and the new facility we are building the resources needed to improve environmental safety and make Delaware’s ports better for everyone living in our state.”

“Our nation’s ports are critical to creating opportunity here in America, offering good-paying jobs, moving goods, and powering our economy,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Today’s historic $3 billion investment builds on President Biden’s vision of growing our economy while ensuring America leads in globally competitive solutions in the future. Delivering cleaner technologies and resources to U.S. ports will slash harmful air and climate pollution while protecting people who work in and live nearby ports communities.”

The Clean Ports Program, established by the Inflation Reduction Act, is designed to help ports across the country transition to fully zero-emissions operations. The program consists of two competitions: the Climate and Air Quality Planning Competition and the Zero-Emission Technology Deployment Competition. Port Wilmington is an awardee for the latter, which will allow it to attain electric cargo handling equipment and charging infrastructure. EPA’s Clean Ports Program advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Disadvantaged communities will benefit from cleaner air and access to high quality jobs that will be created to operate zero emissions technologies at ports.

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Expanded maritime facility estimated to create 6,000 Delaware jobs

WILMINGTON, Del. – The State of Delaware on Wednesday announced it will join the private operator of the Port of Wilmington, Enstructure, to build a new port terminal at a site in Edgemoor, Delaware. The Edgemoor industrial site was purchased in 2017 by the taxpayer-owned Diamond State Port Corporation (DSPC) which subsequently secured the necessary permits to construct a new port terminal.

This historic $635 million infrastructure project will be largest shipping terminal in Delaware since the current Port of Wilmington opened in 1923. The new state-of-the-art “green port” will ensure the long-term success of Delaware’s maritime industry, vastly improving the State’s competitiveness by quadrupling the port’s capacity for container cargo and enabling new and larger ships to be serviced. Construction of the Edgemoor port will take about three years.

The new Edgemoor terminal is estimated to create nearly 6,000 new jobs, including more than 3,100 direct jobs. Total state and local taxes generated from Edgemoor are estimated at $39.4 million annually. In addition, building the new facility will create more than 3,900 construction jobs and generate $42.3 million in tax revenues.

Once completed and fully operational, “Port Delaware,” including both the existing and new terminals, will generate a total of about 11,480 jobs and $76.2 million in tax revenues for the state, making it one of Delaware’s largest employment centers.

The existing Port of Wilmington is a significant source of high-paying jobs to support Delaware families. Many of its longshoremen earn annual incomes of more than $100,000, with a recent national report estimating the average annual salary of a maritime worker at $98,000.

Construction of the new port facility will be conducted in three phases, with the first to be completed over an estimated 32-month period. Much of the early work in the first phase will be focused on waterside construction – building a seawall, high deck and associated dredging.  Landside construction of the actual terminal will come later with proactive public participation and community engagement. Phases two and three of the project will be built by Enstructure when business justifies the additional capacity.

The State will take on responsibility for approximately 31 percent of the cost of building the facility, or $195 million. Enstructure will pay most of the construction and equipment costs, beginning with $170 million to support Phase 1 of the project and an additional $165 million to complete phases 2 and 3, which equals 53 percent of the entire project. Remaining costs will come from federal sources and the DSPC. State funds will come from excess abandoned property revenues made available in previous state bond bills for specific one-time uses, including maritime terminal development.

A detailed explanation of the project, its benefits, and the economic impact can be viewed here.

State leaders and Enstructure joined in their support of the new port:

“For decades, jobs at the Port of Wilmington have been a gateway into the middle class for thousands of workers and their families— the kind of jobs our state and country were built on,” said Governor John Carney. “This investment to expand the Port will position Delaware to compete for container cargo and larger ships. It will bring new, good-paying union jobs to Wilmington. I am pleased to see strong bipartisan support for this important and necessary next step in making the planned Edgemoor expansion a reality.”

House Speaker Valerie Longhurst said, “Investing in this new port is investing in Delaware’s future. One of the most important jobs we have as legislators is growing Delaware’s economy and keeping it strong.  We need to build this new port to keep our maritime economy competitive in the years ahead. The benefits of this new port will be felt for generations by thousands of Delaware families who will be able to buy a house, send kids to college and improve their quality of life.”

“This announcement is a major step forward in our efforts to make the City of Wilmington a major engine of Delaware’s economy and a source of strong union jobs once again,” Joint Capital Improvement (Bond) Committee co-chair Senator Jack Walsh said on behalf of the Senate Democratic Caucus. “I want to thank Governor John Carney for his unwavering commitment to expand the Port of Wilmington. This investment in our future fulfills that promise and will help thousands of Delaware workers support their families with good-paying union jobs. My colleagues and I on the Bond Committee are committed to working with Enstructure and our next governor to see this project through to completion for future generations of Delaware workers.”

Senate Republican Leader Gerald Hocker added, “Investing in modern public infrastructure is a great way to ensure a strong economy for the future. The existing port has created jobs and small business opportunities for over 100 years. This new port will be a critical piece of strengthening Delaware’s economy for the next hundred years.”

“Our Port generates thousands of great paying jobs statewide from Delaware River & Bay Pilots in Sussex to longshoremen in Wilmington,” said House Republican Leader Mike Ramone.  “Investing in Delaware’s infrastructure is a top priority.  This state-of-the-art ‘green port’ terminal will not only result in the productive re-use of a highly visible but vacant industrial site, it also assures future Delawareans have access to maritime careers of the future.” 

“I am excited for the opportunities this new port site will bring to Delaware. Thousands of Delawareans including many of my constituents will benefit from this construction whether directly through jobs or indirectly from the increased economic activity in their communities,” stated Bond Bill Chair Representative Deb Heffernan. “As I have said since this project was first theorized, a project of this size and scale only works with constant and consistent communication with the community. DSPC and Enstructure have made guarantees to hold community meetings, establish a community advisory board made up of local community members, and develop and continually update a website with information on the construction process. I will be watching to ensure these promises are kept and our community is kept up to date on this project that has the potential to benefit us all.”

“We are excited to partner with the State of Delaware, the Diamond State Port Corporation, the Delaware Building Trades and the International Longshoremen’s Association to significantly expand Delaware’s port infrastructure,” said Enstructure Co-CEOs Matthew Satnick and Philippe De Montigny. “The Port Delaware Container Terminal will broaden Enstructure’s terminal network and logistics services, while enhancing our ability to serve our customers.”

WILMINGTON, Del. – Today, Governor John Carney, U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (all D-Del.) announced a $50 million Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) grant award from the U.S. Department of Transportation to Diamond State Port Corporation for the Port of Wilmington’s Edgemoor terminal expansion.

The PIDP is a discretionary grant program funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and administered by the U.S. Maritime Administration. Funds for the PIDP are awarded on a competitive basis to projects that improve the safety, efficiency or reliability of the movement of goods into, out of, around, or within a port. The Edgemoor terminal expansion project plan includes constructing a container yard featuring all-electric operations and a new truck gate to provide new cargo capacity, enhance cargo resiliency, reduce emissions, improve safety, and provide capacity at the existing Port of Wilmington. The expansion project is on the former location of the Chemours titanium dioxide production facility, which was demolished and sold to the Diamond State Port Corporation in 2017.

“For decades, jobs at the Port of Wilmington have been a gateway into the middle class for thousands of workers and their families— the kind of jobs our state and country were built on. This successful grant from the Port Infrastructure Development Program will help make the planned Edgemoor expansion a reality and bring new good-paying, full-time union jobs to Wilmington and the region,” said Governor John Carney. “I want to thank Senator Carper, Senator Coons and Congresswoman Blunt Rochester for their support of the infrastructure law when it passed and for their advocacy for this project. I’d also like to thank President Biden for everything he is doing to build our economy and boost our workers with these big projects.”

Last year, Carper, Coons, and Blunt Rochester helped secure $9.2 million for operations and maintenance work on the Wilmington Harbor, including a new management plan to support the Port’s expansion to the Edgemoor terminal.

“The Port of Wilmington supports more than 19,000 jobs, and the Edgemoor terminal expansion will fuel considerable economic growth for Delaware and our region,” said Senator Carper, who as chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, has been a diligent supporter of the port’s expansion and led the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passage through the Senate. “Edgemoor’s plans include improved safety and emissions, which is a win-win for the folks who work and live there. This major investment from the Department of Transportation is a giant step forward for the Port of Wilmington’s plans for the future, and it is essential to keeping our port competitive and supporting good paying-jobs in our region now and for generations to come.”

“As a member of the Appropriations Committee and a key negotiator of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I’m thrilled to see this incredible investment of federal funding coming to Delaware and the Port of Wilmington,” said U.S. Senator Chris Coons “Since my time as County Executive, I have supported the Port of Wilmington and the workers who make it run. This expansion will create good-paying construction jobs and opportunities for the men and women of the International Longshoreman’s Association. I’m proud to have helped deliver these federal funds, which will remediate a legacy industrial site and enable the electrification of the port to make Edgemoor one of the most energy-efficient and environmentally friendly ports in the country.”

“Investing in the people and places that drive America’s economic engine – including our ports – has been a top priority of President Biden since day one of his administration,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester, member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “I’m proud to join the Biden-Harris administration and Senators Carper and Coons in announcing this historic funding for the Port of Wilmington’s Edgemoor terminal expansion made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. These federal dollars will expand the Port’s capacity to export and import more goods through our state all while reducing emissions, growing our economy, and creating good-paying jobs at the same time.”

“This federal grant for port expansion is great news for our maritime economy and thousands of Delaware families,” said Secretary of State Jeff Bullock, who also serves as chairman of the Diamond State Port Corporation. “This money will help Delaware finance the construction of a new terminal, which will create more high-quality, good-paying union jobs and protect existing jobs while investing in infrastructure that is part of a green economy. We are especially grateful to the Biden Administration and our congressional delegation for their support. The Port of Wilmington is a vital economic engine for Delaware, and this federal support will help make it stronger in the future. We will work with the Edgemoor community, the port operator, Enstructure, and our partners in organized labor to make sure we succeed.”

“Speaking for the over 43,000 AFL-CIO members and its construction sector, which is comprised of 24 unions with over 5,000 well-trained men and women, along with over 600 International LongShoreman (ILA) men and women, this is putting Delaware on the map as a shipping receiver and sender in the region,” said Jim Maravelias, president of the Delaware State AFL-CIO. “The expansion will create well-paying jobs for generations to come, and this monetary boost is exactly what Delaware needs at this moment in time.”

“On behalf of all the Delaware unions, I would like to thank President Biden, the federal and state delegation, for the grant to support our ongoing efforts to fund the Edgemoor project, while creating sustainable jobs,” said William B. Ashe, Jr. ILA Executive Council and president of ILA Local 1694. 

“This investment from the U.S. Department of Transportation further illustrates the deep commitment Senator Carper, Senator Coons, and Representative Blunt Rochester have to Delaware’s critical maritime infrastructure. As Port Wilmington’s operator, we are excited to continue working with the State of Delaware, Governor Carney, the Diamond State Port Corporation, the Delaware Building Trades, the International Longshoremen’s Association, and local communities to bring the Edgemoor development to life,” said Matthew Satnick and Philippe De Montigny, co-CEOs of Enstructure.

Wilmington, DE (July 12, 2023) – The Diamond State Port Corporation is pleased to announce that Enstructure, LLC, has obtained its final approval to become the new operator at the Port of Wilmington. With the concurrence of legislative leaders designated by the State’s Joint Capital Improvement Committee, Enstructure is prepared to take the helm at the port in a matter of days.

House Speaker Valerie Longhurst and Senate President Pro Tempore David Sokola, Joint Capital Improvement Committee Co-Chairs Rep. Debra Heffernan and Sen. Jack Walsh and Controller General Ruth Ann Miller provided their concurrent approval on July 11th of the unanimous decision by the Board of the Diamond State Port Corporation (DSPC) on July 7th to select Enstructure, LLC, as the new operator of the Port of Wilmington, replacing GT USA Wilmington, LLC.

Enstructure is a leading U.S. marine terminal and logistics company with a network of 21 marine terminals. With its proposal to take over operations from GT Wilmington, Enstructure is committing significant capital investment in the current Port of Wilmington. Enstructure estimates that in the next five years, they will invest as much as $65 million at the facility, depending on growth.

As part of the approval from DSPC, Enstructure secured an agreement to work closely with the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), as well as a project labor agreement with the Delaware Building and Construction Trades Council. Representatives of both the ILA and Trades Council spoke in support of Enstructure and their proposal at the DSPC Board meeting on July 7. Enstructure is also partnering with the State on the potential expansion at Edgemoor, where the Governor has committed $50 million from American Rescue Plan Act funds.

“The Port of Wilmington and its workforce are critical to Delaware,” Rep. Longhurst and Sen. Sokola said in a joint statement. “Thousands of Delaware families rely on the good-paying jobs that come from our port. We look forward to working with Enstructure as the new long-term operator and investor in one of Delaware’s most important assets.”

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Gene Bailey, gbailey@port.state.de.us
Executive Director
Diamond State Port Corporation