Port Everglades Plan Includes Recommendation to Deepen Channels

Broward County's Port Everglades reached another milestone toward expanding its cargo-handling capabilities as the Board of County Commissioners recently reaffirmed the need to increase berth space at the Port's Southport Turning Notch as well as to continue toward the completion of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) Deepening and Widening Study. The preliminary National Economic Development (NED) plan recommendation by the ACOE is to deepen the Port's channels to 50 feet from the current depth of 42 feet.

This is a two-pronged plan to expand berth capacity and increase operating depths that points to the comprehensive strategy to meet future service demands, said Port Everglades Director Phil Allen. We are pleased with the Army Corps' recent findings because they justify the need for a deeper harbor at Port Everglades to handle the increase of ship traffic that we expect to see as a result of the Panama Canal expansion and the anticipated growth of the market in South Florida.

Port Everglades officials recently briefed County Commissioners about the latest progress to update the Port's 20-year Master/Vision Plan, which includes moving forward with an agreement with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to expand the Southport Turning Notch to increase berth capacity and develop additional mangrove habitat, and to continue with the ACOE's Deepening and Widening Study. The Master/Vision Plan update presentation is available online at www.portevergladesmasterplan.com, <http://www.portevergladesmasterplan.com,&nbsp;&gt; click MASTER PLAN WORKSHOPS and select May 4, 2010.

The ACOE's preliminary NED plan identifies a benefit-to-cost ratio of 2.0, which means that every dollar spent on the project is expected to generate a $2 return on the investment. The current cost estimate for the preliminary NED plan is $255 million, with $155 million funded through the federal government and the remaining $100 million from the Port and other sources. The ACOE's final feasibility report is scheduled to be released in November 2012 with a projected construction start date of January 2015 and completion in 2017.

As one of South Florida's leading economic powerhouses, Port Everglades is the gateway for international trade and cruise vacations. Already one of the busiest cruise ports worldwide, Port Everglades is also one of the nation's leading container ports. And, Port Everglades is South Florida's main seaport for receiving petroleum products, including gasoline, jet fuel and alternative fuels. The Port Everglades Department is a self-supporting Enterprise Fund of Broward County government with operating revenues of approximately $109.7 million in Fiscal Year 2009 (October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009). It does not rely on local tax dollars for operations. The total value of economic activity at Port Everglades is approximately $14 billion. More than 143,000 Florida jobs are supported by the Port, including almost 10,000 people who work for companies that provide direct services to Port Everglades.