Port of Tampa - Tour and Business Update

March 24, 2010 – 9:15am

A harbor excursion and tour of the Port of Tampa Container Terminal aboard the Bay Spirit catamaran.

Wade Elliott, Senior Director of Marketing, Tampa Port Authority will provide an overview and guided tour of the largest port in Florida with a focus on the growth and development of the container shipping business in Central Florida. Representatives from ZIM, one of the largest container shipping lines in the world, will join the tour to discuss the state of the container shipping business. Also joining the tour will be a representative from Ports America, the largest stevedore and terminal operator in the US, to discuss container terminal operations.

The Tampa Port Authority, created by action of the Florida Legislature in 1945, is the governing body for the Port of Tampa that has the specific responsibility of planning and carrying out plans for the long-range development of the facilities of and traffic through the Port of Tampa.

The Port of Tampa is one of the most diversified ports in the country handling a wide mix of products ranging from fertilizer, aggregates, fly ash, gasoline and jet fuel, to steel and containers. In addition to being Florida’s largest port in terms of cargo tonnage and geographic area, the Port of Tampa is a major and expanding cruise home port, as well as an important center for shipbuilding and repair.

A primary focus of investment to position the Port of Tampa for expanded trade opportunities resulting from the significant expansion of the Panama Canal, is the ongoing development of the container terminal facilities. The latest phase of expansion from 25 to 40 acres is just being completed and the terminal now includes 2,010 feet of berth length, three rail mounted container gantry cranes, a 100-ton mobile harbor crane on a 43 foot deep water channel, at a total investment to-date of over $75 million. With this latest expansion, terminal capacity exceeds 200,000 containers (twenty-foot equivalent units, or TEUs) per year. Future planned build-out of the terminal will quadruple its current size to more than 160 acres and a further extension of the dock to 2,800 feet, allowing it to handle upwards of 1 million container TEUs per year, thus providing more than enough capacity to comfortably handle the long-term demands of the entire West Central Florida market.

Attached are directions to the catamaran Bay Spirit which is docked behind the Florida Aquarium (701 Channelside Drive, Tampa, FL 33602). There will be someone in front of the Florida Aquarium, near the ticket office, to direct you to the boat. Please report to the boat at or before 9:15am. The boat will depart promptly at 9:30am.

http://www.tampaport.com/

Directions will be emailed to registrants.

Register by 3/17/2010 for Early Registration Price.

CSCMP Member Cost: $30 / $25 early registration price

Non-CSCMP Member Cost: $35 / $30 early registration price

CSCMP Student Member Cost: $15 / $10 early registration price.

https://cscmp.org/wp/Events/Registrations/Register_4.asp?Rnd=0%2E9960247&rgs_EventID=17470