Philadelphia Regional Port Authority director retiring in April 2016

James T. McDermott Jr., executive director of the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority since May 1994, announced Tuesday in a letter to Gov. Wolf that he will retire April 15, 2016.

In an interview, McDermott, 59, said, "I was told that to replace me there will be a national search for a new port director. I pledged to stay through April 15, until there is another person in place."

McDermott, son of the late Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice James T. McDermott, joined the PRPA as chief counsel in 1991, after 10 years as an assistant Philadelphia district attorney.

The PRPA, a state agency, maintains, leases and promotes state-owned port facilities on the Delaware River, including Tioga Terminal in Northeast Philadelphia, Packer Avenue Terminal in South Philadelphia, and several smaller specialty cargo terminals in between.