b'30American Journal ofTransportation ajot.com(GULFcontinued fromand the deepening of the East page 24) Channelandturningbasin. administration to improve andWiththesuccessfulcomple-expand the cargo handling attion of Phase One, the Port is the Ports facilities.now embarking on the second The Port holds a uniquephase of development of the role in the regions port com- East Terminal. As King noted position as it has become thethewardoffers,awonder-breakbulkportalternativefulopportunitytoexpand for many of the regions ship- operationsatPortPanama pers.Indeed,PortPanamaCity,whichiscommittedto Cityhandledmorethanincreasing cargo activity that 450,000tonsofbreakbulkwillfostereconomicgrowth forest products and lumber inandcreategoodpayingjobs FY 2022, with 230,000 tonsnot only in Bay County but in of that cargo moving throughthe Northwest Florida region.theEastTerminalwhichTheawardnewsover-opened for operation in 2020.shadowed some of the other Aresult,whichbringsimprovements that were made us back to the importance ofin the ports infrastructure in thegrant.TheEastTermi- 2023. In early November the nalExpansionProjectwillPort held the commissioning create337jobs,$30mil- ceremony for the opening of lion in personal income andthelongawaitedbiodome. local consumption and $2.7The 105-foot high, $17 mil-millioninStateandLocallion dollar biodome had been Taxes.Thiswillenabletheunderconstructionfortwo Port to add to the 11,000 jobsyears. The biodome can store currentlysupported,$1.620,000tonsofwoodpel-billion economic impact, andletswhicharemovedfrom Imports of Aquila power catamaran yachts for Clearwater, FL-based MarineMax Inc. totaled 237,122 tons in FY 2023.over 2 million tons of cargothe dome to ships bound for handled annually. European markets. liquidbulk,suchasmolas- will run between 2.1 millionbulk,heavylift,projectand Port Panama City investedThewoodpelletscon- ses and dlimonene. In addi- to 2.4 million tons annually. general cargo. And speaking $66milliononthefirsttributetoadiversecargotion,containerizedcargoofliquidbulk,inNovem-phaseofTheEastTerminal,mix, which includes copper,servicebetweenProgreso,S ea p Ortm anatee ber2023,SeaPortManatee whichcommencedopera- linerboard,woodpulp,steelMexico,andPortPanamaSeaPortManateeissigned a five-year agreement tionsin2020.Thisexpan- plate,steelpipe,steelcoilsCitycontinuestobeavitalanotherFloridaportthatwith Citrosuco North Amer-sion included the constructionand flexible pipe. The Portspart of the Ports cargo base.offersadiversemixofser- ica Inc., a global importer of ofa260,000SFwarehouse,primarybulkcommoditiesOverall,withtheinfrastruc- vices including 10 deep-draftnaturalcitrusjuices.Under improved road and rail devel- includedrybulk,suchastureimprovementsthePortberths that handle container,(GULFcontinued on opment,amodernbulkhead,wood pellets, aggregates, andbelievesthecargotonnageliquid,anddrybulk,break- page 32)EXPANDING CAPACITY TOFLORIDAS DISTRIBUTUION HUBTampa/Orlando I-4 Corridor: Over 550 million square feetExpanded terminal capacity with plenty of room for growthof distribution center space Multiple round-trip truck deliveries per day from Port to E-commerce, consumer goods, perishables distribution centersand building materials New and expanded container services with Central The fastest growing region in the fastest growing state America, Mexico and AsiaWWW.PORTTB.COM'