Agricultural Attachés Visit the Port of Philadelphia

Agricultural Attachés Visit the Port of Philadelphia

On January 21, 2026, Agricultural Attachés and embassy representatives from Washington, DC visited the Port of Philadelphia for a high-level program hosted in Philadelphia, PA and Gloucester City, NJ. The visit brought together public and private stakeholders to highlight the region’s role in global trade, cold chain logistics, and agricultural cargo movement.

The program began at HOLT Logistics Headquarters with welcome remarks and brief presentations from HOLT Logistics and PhilaPort, offering an overview of port operations, infrastructure, and how the regional logistics network supports agricultural import and export flows. Participants were encouraged to ask questions, especially during the field portion of the day, where the port’s capabilities could be seen firsthand.

From there, the group boarded a PhilaPort bus for a guided tour of major facilities. At Packer Avenue Marine Terminal, participants completed a drive-through of the terminal with a photo opportunity, providing a closer look at terminal activity and cargo coordination.

A key highlight of the day was the visit to the busiest CBP Agricultural inspection facility in the United States, located on Packer Avenue Marine Terminal. The group was briefed by the CBP Assistant Port Director for Agricultural Operations and had the opportunity to observe the inspectional and logistical processes that support high-volume, time-sensitive agricultural cargo, underscoring the coordination required to keep compliant trade moving efficiently.

The visit continued at Lineage Cold Storage, where the group was hosted for lunch and a facility walkthrough. Lineage is a certified I-house and plays an important role in supporting USDA/FSIS re-inspections, demonstrating how port-adjacent cold chain infrastructure can help maintain product integrity while meeting regulatory requirements and customer timelines.

The afternoon tour also included drive-bys of SouthPort Terminal, the new berth area, and Mustin Yard (PhilaPort’s recent land acquisition), along with the PhilaPort Distribution Center – Cold (PDC-Cold), a soon-to-be-completed cold warehouse facility that reflects the port’s continued investment in modern cold chain capacity.

The program concluded back at HOLT Logistics Headquarters before the group departed for Washington, D.C., wrapping up a productive day of briefings and site visits that showcased the Port of Philadelphia’s critical role in agricultural commerce and supply chain resilience.

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Testimonials

"For meat importers and MICA members, the takeaway is simple: predictability matters. When industry, USDA/FSIS, and CBP stay aligned on process and communication, compliant product moves faster, cold chain integrity is protected, and everyone wins, from the importer to the end consumer.”

"Visits like this help build shared understanding, when partners can see the operation up close, it creates stronger relationships and smoother outcomes for trade.”

“Cold chain capability is only part of the story, what really matters is how the operators, regulators, and trade partners connect the dots so compliant cargo can move without losing time or quality.”