PhilaPort - Southport Auto Storage Facility, PA
AEG, a SOCOTEC Company, supported the transformation of 70.6 acres of neglected land into a functional auto storage facility at PhilaPort’s Southport Auto Terminal, providing surveying, geotechnical services, and construction inspections.
Key Information
Project: PhilaPort Auto Storage Facility
Client: PhilaPort
Location: Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Services Provided: Surveying, Geotechnical services, Construction inspections
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The Challenge
Transforming an Underutilized Site into a Large-Scale Auto Storage Facility
To support the rising demand for vehicle imports and distribution along the US East Coast, PhilaPort needed to expand capacity at its Southport Auto Terminal in Philadelphia. The vision: developing a large-scale auto storage facility capable of processing hundreds of thousands of vehicles a year, with fast, efficient movement from ship to storage to delivery.
The project called for redevelopment of 70.6 acres of neglected land into a fully functional auto port. The final development would span 155 acres and include a 108,000-square-foot Vehicle Processing Center (VPC), 24,000 parking stalls, direct access to I-95 and I-76, and rail service from two Class I railroads, CSX and Norfolk Southern.
Before the site could serve its new purpose, the project team needed to establish reliable information about existing conditions and prepare the property for construction. The work followed the demolition of several existing buildings and involved a range of site conditions and infrastructure considerations. Existing surface features, underground piping, drainage systems, subsurface conditions, and areas with potential environmental constraints all needed to be evaluated as part of the development process.
The Solution
As part of multiple winning teams on three on-call engineering services contracts with PhilaPort, AEG, a SOCOTEC Company was selected to provide the technical foundation for this vehicle processing hub.
The Results
Supporting Long-Term Dam Safety and Performance
The completed work directly supported the transformation of a previously neglected land into a modern vehicle processing hub built for scale and speed.
The broader terminal is designed to facilitate the efficient movement of imported vehicles, from arrival at the port through processing and storage before distribution. Its location provides access to I-95 and I-76, as well as CSX and Norfolk Southern rail networks.
By providing accurate surveys, robust geotechnical recommendations, and consistent construction inspections, AEG, a SOCOTEC Company helped PhilaPort deliver a facility that strengthens the Port of Philadelphia's role as a major hub for vehicle imports on the East Coast, while supporting local economic growth and job creation in the region.
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