SeaPort Manatee installs new security booths

The port in Manatee County has some new additions, in the form of solar-powered mobile security booths.

SeaPort Manatee recently acquired the three booths through a state grant. The previous security booths were destroyed in Hurricane Milton in October 2024, according to Virginia Zimmerman, spokesperson for the Manatee County Port Authority. 

Gov. Ron DeSantis awarded the port a $3.5 million grant to support security and access control improvements at the port on Oct. 14, Zimmerman says.

“The new booths were purchased as part of this broader replacement of security infrastructure,” Zimmerman says in an email to the Business Observer.

The booths cost approximately $40,000 apiece, Zimmerman says.

Each booth is air-conditioned and has a backup generator, ensuring security personnel will be able to operate in all weather situations, according to a statement.

Image via SeaPort Manatee / LinkedIn

The security booths have been strategically placed throughout the port to monitor ship operations and daily port activities, the statement says.

“Because of robust federal regulations, the port is responsible for controlling access and monitoring operations,” Zimmerman says. “The new booths give us flexibility to place them where they are most needed to enhance security and provide truck drivers with efficient, controlled access to cargo areas.”

SeaPort Manatee is the closest U.S. seaport to the Panama Canal. It includes 10 deep-draft berths, generating nearly $7.3 billion annually in economic impacts and providing 42,000 direct and indirect jobs. It is self-sustaining and does not receive any local property tax support. In fiscal year 2024, SeaPort Manatee handled a record amount of cargo, with 11.8 million tons moving through, up more than 7% over the previous year.

This article has been updated to include the cost of the security booths.