US Philadelphia highway collapse unlikely to disrupt chem logistics

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Truck traffic on Interstate 95 in northeast Philadelphia will likely have to detour around a section of the highway that collapsed over the weekend, but the adjustments are unlikely to disrupt logistics in chemicals markets.

The damage occurred after a tanker carrying gasoline caught fire while under the highway overpass.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) said on Monday that demolition of the collapsed bridges has already begun and that a more exact timeline for the complete rebuild of the damaged freeway should be available soon once engineers have completed a review.

The highway is closed for about seven miles from Exit 25 at Academy Road through Exit 32 at Linden Avenue.

Trucks can bypass the area via the New Jersey Turnpike, which runs almost parallel to I-95, or Interstate 295.

Pennsylvania and New Jersey share a border, divided by the Delaware river.

US-based nylon producer AdvanSix has a plant situated beside I-95 just south of the damaged area.

Other chemical production sites in the area, according to the ICIS Supply and Demand Database, are listed in the following table:

Producer	Product	Location
Braskem	Propylene, PP	Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania
COIM	Plasticizers	Paulsboro, New Jersey
COIM	Plasticizers	West Deptford, New Jersey
Eastman	Alkyd resins	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
INEOS	UPE resins	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Orbia	PVC	Pedricktown, New Jersey
Oxyvinyls	PVC	Pedricktown, New Jersey
Valtris	Plasticizers	Bridgeport, New Jersey