Port nets $19.8M grant for intermodal berth project

TAMPA — Port Tampa Bay has received a $19.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation that will be used to complete Berth 214, an intermodal berth project that will enhance the port’s ability to process cargo that arrives via road or rail. 

According to a press release, Port Tampa Bay will use the funds to expedite construction of a new 1,300-foot berth and expand its 30-acre container yard. 

“This grant, combined with Port Tampa Bay and Florida’s investment, will provide long-term benefits for the logistics supply chain as Florida’s population growth continues to grow,” states Paul Anderson, Port Tampa Bay’s president and CEO, in the release. “This project is Port Tampa Bay’s top priority and is a project of regional and national significance.”

In addition to the federal grant, the project will be completed with funding from the state and the port itself, the release states. 

“Port Tampa Bay has seen unprecedented expansion in our containerized cargo business lines recently, and this project will complement that growth,” Anderson states in the release. “These funds will be used to expand our container capacity by 60%, increase the number of deep-draft container vessels the port can receive, improve efficiency with a state-of-the-art truck gate and improve rail access. As we celebrate 75 years of consistent growth and success at Port Tampa Bay, projects like this will continue to provide generational impacts for our region.”