Port Tampa Bay – growth plans and handling weather disruptions

Paul Anderson, President/CEO of Port Tampa Bay, who also serves as Chair of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), began the three-day event which was held in the aftermath of two powerful storms- Hurricane Helene (late-September), and Hurricane Milton (mid-October).

Anderson noted in his remarks, the port regularly prepares for weather-related disruptions, but “we’ve never had two hurricanes in rapid succession”.  Anderson praised everyone who helped get the port quickly back in operation after the storms- with a brief longshoremen strike in between, with no missed vessel calls in Tampa.

Tampa is a major hub for distribution of petroleum products to half the state of Florida- notably gasoline and jet fuel, through privately owned terminals with the port as landlord. In the port’s Fiscal Year 2023, inbound tonnage of petroleum products was just shy of 18 million short tons, comparable to Port Everglades, on the Atlantic side.   Anderson explained that: “Our partners in the fuel distribution are seven different oil companies that individual terminals at the port…they all suffered some kind of damage from the hurricanes.”

He said that much of the damage came after tidal surges in Hurricane Helene, the first of the two storms, and said, “I am very proud of the way that we recovered as a port complex- it’s all about partnerships…I am pleased to report that we are back to full strength- ready to meet the needs of our customers.”

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As the port had re-opened, vessel transits, including a heavy contingent of Jones Act tankers, were initially only allowed in daylight, in one direction only. “Our focus will be on building resiliency,” Anderson said.

Economic growth for the port at Tampa Bay was also on the agenda. Anderson, whose previous posts had included serving as a Commissioner on the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), stressed that the port is “well positioned for the future as a key player…for global maritime growth.”

The port which, in addition to its role in fuel distribution, handles phosphate and ingredients for the fertilizer industry. Increasingly, it has seen container throughput ratchet upward, with annual moves set to approach 300,000 teu.

Earlier in the week of the Propeller Club event, the port announced that it would be receiving a Federal Grant of $22 million under the US Department of Transportation’s Infrastructure for Rebuilding America Grant Program (INFRA) for work on its multi-use “Omniport” terminal. Importantly, Anderson mentioned that Tampa has received a go-ahead from Congress for a channel deepening project (to 47 feet) which will be done over a 10-year period, “that will enable Tampa Bay to accommodate the largest ships that are coming into the Gulf of Mexico…we’re preparing for the future”. The exact funding sources, a blend of local, state and Federal monies, are now the subject of intense discussions and planning.

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Issues of US national security were lurking in the background in a number of presentations throughout the Propeller Club’s three-day confab. Anderson, in his remarks, alluded to issues with sourcing giant cranes for handling containers, saying that Port Tampa Bay, with its annual container throughput growing by around 30% per year, is in the process of ordering two cranes from a European manufacturer to complement the existing five in service - all made in Asia