As the Delaware River ports await a deeper shipping channel, the bigger ports in the region aren't giving any ground, the News Journal reported.

At the Port of New York and New Jersey, which handles more than half the port traffic on the East Coast, the channels into the port are being dredged to 50 feet. The port is updating its road network and improving the rail system, and planning for future expansion, said Steve Coleman, a spokesman for the port. In 2010 alone, the port is spending US$130 million on all of the non-dredging upgrades, he said.

It still must contend with the nearby Bayonne Bridge, which limits the size of ships that can approach the port. The New Jersey state Assembly last month passed a resolution calling on the Port Authority to raise or replace the bridge.

Although officials at Delaware River ports believe the New York port will be too congested after the economy improves, Coleman said the Port Authority is working to acquire land and maximize its existing space to make sure no business is turned away.