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Facilities: Port Fourchon, Tampa

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Port Fourchon’s ambitious Northern Expansion initiative moves forward with the beginning of its $15 million of its Slip C bulkhead construction project. The Port of Tampa celebrated the opening of its new petroleum Berth 222 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 22.

Port Fourchon: Slip C Bulkhead Project Breaks Ground

Port Fourchon is poised to launch its most ambitious expansion project. Slip C, the latest phase of Fourchon’s Northern Expansion, will add 400 acres of developed property to the port and create more than 15,000 linear feet of waterfront. With a width of 700 feet and length of 7,000 feet, it will be approximately the same size as neighboring Slip B.

Water level of the Slip C development.
Photo/Port Fourchon

The Slip C project included a base bid for 1400 linear feet of bulkhead on the west side of the slip and two alternate bids for 600 feet each on the east side. After review, the port commission chose to proceed with all 2,600 feet of bulkhead construction for a grand total of $15,665,249. Some construction costs will be funded through Louisiana’s Port Construction Priority Program and the balance by the port.  The project is slated for completion in late 2014.

 "This is the largest single construction project that the port commission has ever undertaken, a true reflection of the exponential growth and optimism occurring in the Port Fourchon business community," said Port Executive Director Chett Chiasson. "At its inception, Slip C development was projected to take up to eight years, and now we are thinking it will be more like half of that."

 "What’s really amazing is that we don’t have a single sheet pile of bulkhead driven yet in Slip C, not a foot of usable waterfront property and we’re already close to having the whole thing booked," said Davie Breaux, the port’s director of operations. "We only have about 2500 feet of waterfront property in Slip C that is not already spoken for, either with a lease or a right of first refusal. And we’re now getting offers for Slip D."

The port commission has already started the permitting and design process for Slip D, the next phase of the Northern Expansion project. 

More than $50 million in private sector investment is planned by Slip C leaseholders. That would be in addition to the port commission’s $15 million commitment.

Furthermore, according to the port, additional projects could inject more than $335 million in total estimated public and private investment in Slip C infrastructure and create up to 1,000 new jobs.

"We are investing in our future with projects like building new bulkhead in Slip C," said Port Commission Board President Perry Gisclair. "Our port tenants are investing in us by choosing to come to Port Fourchon and build their businesses with us."

Aerial overview of Port Fourchon. Starting from the left, the short slip is Slip A, next (middle slip) is Slip B, and Slip C is the one on the right.  The picture was taken prior to the completion of the dredging project that filled most of the developable area in Slip C.  
Photo/Port Fourchon

Tampa Ribbon Cutting for New Petroleum Berth 222

The Tampa Port Authority celebrated the opening of its petroleum products Berth 22 on October 29 with an official dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony. The event marked the completion of Phase One of the $56 million expansion and modernization of the port’s primary petroleum terminal complex.

Berth 222 will be shared among some of the port’s major petroleum customers, who have previously operated independently. Tampa is the primary conduit for oil and gas products for western and central Florida and jet fuel for Tampa and Orlando international airports.

The newly completed petroleum Berth 222, with its advanced manifold system.
Photo/A. Fobes, Tampa Port Authority

Representing the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) was department Secretary Ananth Prasad, who underscored the importance of the port and its petroleum operations to the region and all of Florida. The state funded approximately half of the project’s $28 million cost.

"This is a huge day for the Port of Tampa and for our port community, stakeholders and our elected officials who have all played a part in today’s ribbon cutting. We are extremely proud of our state leadership and the governor’s vision to bolster state port infrastructure and to recognize just how vital ports are to the overall economic health of the state, regions and individual communities. We are in truly exciting times now, and we are all about building a world-class port and delivering jobs, income and economic development in projects like you are seeing dedicated today," said Port Authority President and CEO Paul Anderson.

State Rep. Mark Danish, Tampa Port Authority Commissioner/Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandy Murman, FDOT Secretary Ananth Prasad, Port Authority President/CEO Paul Anderson, State Sen. Jeff Brandes, and State Rep. Dana Young cut the ribbon for the new facility.  
Photo/A. Fobes, Tampa Port Authority
 

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