Bloustein School graduate students visited Port Newark/Elizabeth’s Maher Terminal on April 10 as part of Professor Anne Strauss Wieder’s Freights & Ports class. The visit gave students direct exposure to port operations, including security, emergency response, and environmental programs.
The trip aimed to connect classroom learning with real-world logistics by showing how goods move through one of the region’s busiest ports. Students observed cargo handling processes and learned about sustainability efforts at the terminal. They also had rare access inside two major container operations at the port.
A highlight of the visit was learning about the Orange Blossom 2 tanker, which brings orange juice into the region for processing nearby. The berth where it docks is historically significant as it was the site of the first container vessel operation in New Jersey in 1956. The facility also handles edible oil imports and ships them using multiple modes of transportation.
According to the official website, the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy is part of Rutgers University, focusing on fostering just, socially inclusive, environmentally sustainable and healthy communities at various levels. The school has earned national recognition for its academic programs—ranking third nationally for its graduate urban planning program and fourth for its undergraduate public health program—and advances social impact through research centers dedicated to community development, transportation, health, workforce development, and energy policy according to their official website.
The school has recognized distinguished alumni through its Hall of Fame since 2013 and annual achievement awards since 1994 according to information from their official website. Stuart Shapiro became dean in 2023 according to details provided by their official website.
Experiences like this field trip provide practical insights that support Bloustein’s educational mission while connecting students with key sites shaping regional commerce.