Port Everglades Just Won the Funding to Fit Bigger Ships

Port Everglades in Broward County, Florida, has received $30.75 million from the Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program, reported on October 28. The award is part of a $498 million federal effort to upgrade U.S. ports, covering 35 projects in 19 states.

The money will pay to relocate a structural bulkhead and widen the Slip 1 area to 450 feet. That would let the port handle larger, more economical vessels, such as Aframax-class tankers, while protecting fuel operations during severe weather.

Port CEO and Port Director Joseph Morris said the port was greatly appreciative to have received its full funding request for the Slip 1 Expansion Project, and tied it to the port’s energy goals in Florida and worldwide. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said the nation’s economic strength depends on the condition of its ports.

The total public-private project is estimated at $184.5 million and will take three to four years, with Phase 1 construction scheduled to begin in 2028. Port Everglades, which ranks among the world’s three busiest cruise homeports, also serves as a gateway for international trade.

Sources: Cruise Industry News