Grimm & Grove - Work - Delaware River Port Authority

Background

The Delaware River Port Authority is a regional transportation agency overseeing the port that connects global trade via the Delaware River. To keep the port competitive and to preserve over 80,000 quality jobs it was necessary to deepen the river which allowed it to accommodate larger ships. In 2008, the agency became the local sponsor to undertake the tristate project along 103 miles spanning PA, NJ and DE. As Port Director, Melissa Grimm co-managed the $300 million, multiyear project, including all of its external relations and communications with a complex array of stakeholders. The port dredging was completed in 2020.

Tactics

Create consistent external communications and collateral about the necessity of the project to position the project as a key regional economic engine
Maintain ongoing crisis, messaging, and media response strategy, particularly in the face of extensive environmental opposition to the project.
Partner with regional stakeholders to create supportive coalitions from diverse stakeholders
Provide leadership and presence for outreach to public and private stakeholders at the local, state and federal level, including the Army Corps of Engineers, public hearings, elected officials, environmentalist groups, business owners, unions, and residents.
Poll and monitor sentiment and community support to enable proactive strategy response as needed

The region’s most extensive Infrastructure requires an upgrade—and a public affairs campaign