The Manatee County Port Authority has announced it has chosen a contractor for the final expansion of Port Manatee, which first began in 1997.
Port Manatee is located at the mouth of Tampa Bay, directly across from the city of St. Petersburg. The port has rapidly grown in size since it first opened, and will now be expanding even further during the last phase of a massive multi-year project.
"The Manatee County Port Authority's vision for Port Manatee is being realized in dramatic fashion with this project," said Port Manatee executive director Carlos Buqueras. "Years of planning and execution will result in hundreds of new construction jobs and hundreds more of full-time on-port employment opportunities related to the container business."
Nearly a dozen contractors vied for the project, but the low bid was ultimately entered by American Bridge Company, which estimated the project would cost $13,075,487. The highest bid turned in for the project was $15,510,000. The contractor has been approved by the Port Authority and construction will begin shortly, with an aim to have the final expansion completed for June 2013.
The expansion to Port Manatee includes a 584-foot extension of Berth 12 and a 10-acre container yard. The main impetus behind the move is the ongoing expansion of the Panama Canal, which is not expected to be completed by 2015. The Panama Canal expansion means larger ships, dubbed "Panamax-sized," will be able to fit through the important passageway. Those massive ships will now be able to dock at Port Manatee, which will give the location an edge on its competitors.
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