Port Everglades is evolving rapidly with more than $1 billion of infrastructure improvements underway or scheduled for the next five years. The results will benefit our cargo customers exponentially. Until then, we face unavoidable challenges inherent with progress. Our challenge is to support our customers with minimal disruptions during construction.
For the past five years, Port Everglades has exceeded 1 million TEUs, 2018 celebrating a record 1.1 million TEUs.
This growth is not coincidental. Port Everglades exercises an aggressive, comprehensive master/vision Ppan that is updated regularly so our five-year master Ppan, and 10- and 20-year vision planning horizons stay current with industry trends and technology advances. We are currently meeting with port stakeholders, customers and community representatives to gather input.
Major construction includes additional cargo berths, super post-Panamax gantry cranes, and deepening and widening navigation channels.
The $437.5 million Southport Turning Notch Extension is the largest infrastructure project in the port’s history. It will provide up to five new cargo berths by lengthening the existing turning notch from 900 feet to 2,400 feet. Three new super post-Panamax gantry cranes costing $13.8 million each will be delivered in early 2020. The port also has an option to purchase an additional three cranes within the next five years.
The US Army Corps of Engineers is moving forward with a plan to deepen the port’s navigation channels from 42 feet to 48 to 50 feet and widen narrower sections for safe vessel passage. The project is currently in the preconstruction engineering and design phase, having received congressional authorization in December 2016.
We are working closely with our customers to identify their needs during this growth period and adjust to continue serving as an ideal point of entry for products shipped around the world.