WASHINGTON: Officials in charge of the the state-owned Port of Wilmington are trying to buy the land that housed Chemours’ shuttered Edge Moor factory for future expansion of Delaware’s shipping economy. The governing board for the Diamond State Port Corporation, the public-private entity that oversees the sprawling complex, on Friday gave port officials permission to enter into negotiations to purchase the 115-acre facility, which manufactured titanium dioxide before being closed nearly a year ago. The complex sits on the Delaware River off Interstate 495. The move is the port’s first step toward acquiring one of several tracts for a new container port. Port officials and local politicians see broadening the port business as a way to bolster the state’s lagging industrial economy.
“There is a significant amount of investor interest in developing the port of Wilmington beyond its current footprint,” said Secretary of State Jeffrey Bullock, who chairs the Diamond State board and will be part of negotiations to purchase land. “A lot of that has been focused on Chemours (property).” Bullock declined to discuss how much he expects the property will cost. He said the land will be bought using the port’s reserves. The state allocated $15 million to the port for infrastructure improvements earlier this year. Bullock said that money would not be used to buy the property.
