Russ,
In New York, taking the Staten Island Ferry is almost a must for the shipspotter, it's a free ride, and the ferry goes right across the heart of the upper harbor. Plenty of ships anchored around there, especially towards the Staten Island end, and more tugs and barges moving around than you would believe.
What time I've spent in Philadelphia was mostly dedicated to touristy stuff, not ships, but a quick look makes it seem like Proprietor's Park in Gloucester City, NJ might be the best bet for seeing the Philly shipping terminals. Just down the river, there seems to be a park and boat launch at National Park, NJ right across the river from the Philadelphia Naval Yards.
Baltimore and Norfolk are both busy ports, but their layouts can make shipspotting tough. I know Norfolk offers
Victory Rover harbor cruises that sail out past the naval base and several cargo terminals as well, one of those would certainly be worth the money. Seems
Spirit Cruises of Baltimore also offers harbor tours that cover the inner harbor.
Unfortunately it doesn't look like Wilmington, NC offers much in the way of port views, however look into
Cape Fear Riverboats for info on river cruises. Charleston, SC is probably a better bet for photos from the shore, even if it's a fairly quiet port. Patriots Point has some historic ships to tour, and looks like it offers some views of traffic in the harbor. Near Patriots Point, the Shem Creek boardwalk would provide some opportunities to photograph the local fishing fleet.
Lastly Savannah, like many southern ports, also doesn't offer many views from shore. Again you'd have to look into a sightseeing cruise such as
Savannah Riverboat Cruises.
I wish you luck in planning your trip.
Kind Regards,
Kyle
