Port of Philadelphia, PA rail freight: what lands here and where it goes inland
The largest vessel imports here, year to date through July 2026, are meat (about $4,470 million), mineral fuels (about $2,233 million), fruit and nuts (about $1,932 million) among the 22 commodity chapters Steel Wheel Logistics tracks. The port district is reached by CSX and Norfolk Southern, which is what makes the Philadelphia gateway useful for shippers whose plants sit hundreds of miles inland. Tioga steel and pulp; Camden across the river. This page pairs the Census import data behind the Commodity Flow Map port layer with the railroads, transload capacity and inland lanes that turn a vessel arrival into a rail move.
Top imports by vessel
Vessel imports at Philadelphia, PA, year to date through July 2026, US$ millions, for the commodity chapters Steel Wheel Logistics tracks.
| HS chapter | Commodity group | Vessel imports YTD |
|---|---|---|
| 02 | Meat | $4,470M |
| 27 | Mineral fuels · crude oil by rail | $2,233M |
| 08 | Fruit and nuts | $1,932M |
| 72 | Iron and steel · steel by rail | $791M |
| 09 | Coffee and tea | $218M |
| 44 | Wood and lumber · lumber by rail | $154M |
| Total, tracked chapters | $10,204M | |
Railroads at the port
- CSX
- Norfolk Southern (NS)
Where more than one Class I reaches a port, the routing choice sets the inland rate, the interchange points and which inland terminals are single-line. That is the first question a lane audit answers.
Rail transload and terminal capacity nearby
Rail-served transload facilities within 30 miles of the port, from the Steel Wheel Transload Directory:
- PhilaPort — Tioga Marine Terminal — Philadelphia, PA (4 mi): port-terminal; breakbulk, warehousing, vessel-rail transload
- Tioga Marine Terminal (Delaware River Stevedores) — Philadelphia, PA (5 mi): port-terminal; breakbulk, warehousing, vessel-rail transload
- Sms Transloading Services — Logan Township, NJ (17 mi): transload-terminal; Air Compressor, Blower, Bulk Conveyor, Liquid Pumps
- Port of Wilmington (Enstructure) — Wilmington, DE (25 mi): port-terminal; breakbulk, warehousing, vessel-rail transload
- Transflo CSXT — Philadelphia, PA (2 mi): transload-terminal; Air Compressor, Blower, Bulk Conveyor, Liquid Pumps
- Joseph A. Balzano Marine Terminal (South Jersey Port Corp) — Camden, NJ (3 mi): port-terminal; breakbulk, warehousing, vessel-rail transload
- A&R Transport Inc — Philadelphia, PA (6 mi): third-party-warehouse; Blower, Sampling Services, Scale
- Chempak International Inc — Essington, PA (9 mi): transload-terminal; Air Compressor, Blending Meters, Liquid Pumps, Sampling Services
Distances are straight-line from the port's Census coordinates. Capabilities are as listed by the operator; confirm before routing.
Typical inland lanes from this port
How the top import groups typically move inland from Philadelphia. These describe the flow, not a price: run the indicative rail rate from Philadelphia for a first number.
- Imported meat moves in refrigerated boxcars to processors and cold-storage distribution centers inland. Indicative rail rate from Philadelphia.
- Imported crude, refined products and petroleum coke move in tank cars and hoppers to refineries, blending terminals, cement kilns and power plants inland. Indicative rail rate from Philadelphia.
- Imported fruit and nuts move in refrigerated boxcars to produce distribution centers serving the Midwest and Northeast. Indicative rail rate from Philadelphia.
- Imported steel slab, coil and plate moves inland to mills, pipe makers and service centers in the Ohio Valley, Texas, the Southeast and the Upper Midwest. Indicative rail rate from Philadelphia.
- Imported green coffee and tea move in boxcars to roasters and distribution centers in the Midwest, Northeast and Texas. Indicative rail rate from Philadelphia.
- Imported lumber and panels ride centerbeam flats and boxcars to building-materials yards near housing markets in the Midwest, Northeast and Sun Belt. Indicative rail rate from Philadelphia.
Priced lanes from Philadelphia
Indicative single-car estimates from our rate model for lanes we have already priced out of this port. Not a quote; the serving railroad confirms the rate.
| Destination | Commodity | Rail miles | Indicative rate / car |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO | Steel | 1,223 | $10,417 |
Common questions
Which railroads serve the Port of Philadelphia?
CSX and Norfolk Southern reach the Philadelphia, PA port district. Tioga steel and pulp; Camden across the river.
What does the Port of Philadelphia import the most?
By vessel value, year to date through July 2026, the largest imports at Philadelphia among the chapters Steel Wheel Logistics tracks are meat (about $4,470 million), mineral fuels (about $2,233 million), fruit and nuts (about $1,932 million). Total tracked vessel imports were about $10,204 million. Source: U.S. Census Bureau International Trade API.
Can I move imported meat from Philadelphia inland by rail?
The largest tracked vessel import group at Philadelphia is meat (about $4,470 million year to date through July 2026), and the port district is reached by CSX and Norfolk Southern. The Steel Wheel transload directory lists at least 8 rail-served transload facilities within 30 miles of the port. Use the indicative rail rate tool for a first estimate and a lane audit to confirm routing; estimates are indicative until confirmed with the serving railroad.
Moving imports inland from Philadelphia?
Steel Wheel Logistics is an outsourced rail department: we route, price and manage rail moves from the port to your plant. Rate estimates are indicative only until confirmed with the serving railroad.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade API, general imports by port of entry, vessel value, year to date through July 2026. Steel Wheel Logistics analysis.