Solving Port Congestion with ICE Equipment and Hydrauli-Flex Hoses

As the global economy continued to evolve, so did the complexity of the systems that moved goods around the world. By 2025, an astounding 80% of global trade was moved by sea, with a third of those shipments consisting of oil. This trend underscored the critical importance of marine transportation in our daily lives, from the fuel we used to the products we purchased online. However, the rise in electronic commerce and global shipping created a ripple effect: more goods moved through ports, but not all ports were equipped to handle the volume. This is where construction companies like Commerce Construction, using powerful equipment from ICE® and hydraulic hoses from The Hose Company, played a vital role in overcoming bottlenecks and ensuring the flow of goods remained uninterrupted.

The Impact of Global Trends on Shipping

The demand for sea freight soared, driven largely by the explosion of e-commerce and the return to pre-pandemic demand levels for products like crude oil. However, the number of seaports didn’t keep up with the pace. Ports faced congestion, delays, and backlogs that worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic when business closures left shipments abandoned at docks and exacerbated container shortages. Even as the world moved past the worst of the pandemic, global trade still grappled with the challenges of overcrowded shipping lanes.

PBF Energy, one of the largest independent petroleum suppliers in the U.S., was well aware of these shipping hurdles. With its focus on petroleum-based products like gasoline, heating oil, kerosene, and aviation fuel, the company relied on an intricate network of transportation routes, including marine vessels, pipelines, trucks, and rail, to keep its refineries connected with suppliers and customers. But as shipping lanes became increasingly crowded, this network was coming under strain.

To address this issue and reduce the bottleneck at freight ports, PBF Energy worked with Commerce Construction to build a new dock on the Delaware River near their terminal in Paulsboro, NJ. Designed specifically to unload bulk liquids and petroleum products, this dock promised to reduce wait times for shipping containers and decrease costs for both importers and exporters.

ICE® Equipment and The Hose Company: A Powerful Partnership

Construction of such a critical infrastructure project required the use of reliable, high-performance machinery. For the dock at Paulsboro, Commerce Construction relied on the ICE® 28D Vibratory Hammer to drive 12-inch plumb and battered pipe piles that supported the new dock structure. However, driving these piles wasn’t without its challenges—particularly when it came to smaller piles. To solve this problem, Commerce Construction wisely invested in an ICE® 99 Dunce Clamp, which provided a rounded jaw system to drive pipe piles less than 18 inches in diameter.

This is where The Hose Company stepped in. The Hose Company’s Hydrauli-Flex hoses were crucial in powering the hydraulic equipment used by ICE®. These hoses were designed to endure the extreme pressure and tough conditions faced in construction environments like the one at Paulsboro. ICE® Vibratory Hammers and Drills depended on hydraulic hoses to deliver the power and efficiency needed to get the job done quickly and safely, even in challenging conditions.

The Hose Company’s commitment to quality ensured that every hose was made to withstand the high pressures and demanding environments associated with heavy construction. The durability and reliability of these hoses were what made them an essential component of ICE® equipment, allowing contractors to maximize productivity without worrying about downtime or equipment failure.

Why Quality Hydraulic Hoses Matter

In construction projects like the one on the Delaware River, efficiency was everything. Every delay translated into higher costs and longer wait times, which is why the reliability of hydraulic hoses was critical. The Hose Company’s Hydrauli-Flex hoses provided the necessary support for ICE® equipment to operate at its best. Whether it was the ICE® 28D Vibratory Hammer or the ICE® 99 Dunce Clamp, these machines depended on reliable hydraulic hoses to function at peak performance, even under heavy stress.

By maintaining the highest standards of quality and precision in hose manufacturing, The Hose Company ensured that their products were up to the task. With Hydrauli-Flex hoses powering ICE® machinery, projects like the PBF Energy dock construction were able to proceed smoothly, ensuring that the dock could be completed on time and to specification. As a result, this partnership played an essential role in reducing port congestion and facilitating the global shipping of goods, especially oil.

Looking Ahead: The Road to Decreased Port Congestion

As global demand for goods and petroleum continued to climb, infrastructure projects like the one at Paulsboro played a significant role in the future of international commerce. The work being done by Commerce Construction, powered by ICE® equipment and supported by The Hose Company’s Hydrauli-Flex hoses, was helping to create more efficient shipping routes that could accommodate the volume of goods being transported.

We congratulated Commerce Construction on their ongoing success with this project and their new investment in ICE® equipment. The collaboration between ICE® and The Hose Company highlighted how crucial high-quality hydraulic hoses were in ensuring that construction projects—especially those tied to the maritime industry—were completed on time and with efficiency.

The partnership between ICE® and The Hose Company was one of many examples of how the right equipment and reliable components came together to keep global commerce moving forward. We looked forward to continuing to support ICE® equipment as they worked to reduce congestion at ports and help businesses like PBF Energy deliver the products the world relied on.

In conclusion, as global shipping faced ongoing challenges, the role of reliable hydraulic hoses in powering construction machinery like ICE® Vibratory Hammers was more critical than ever. At The Hose Company, we were proud to be part of these vital infrastructure projects that kept the world’s ports flowing smoothly.

Contact Us to learn more about how The Hose Company’s Hydrauli-Flex hoses can support your next critical construction project.