Millions for improvements at Tampa

In addition, US$2.3m has been allocated for remediation of the former Tampa Scrap site, a 17-acre parcel of land that will be available for port development needs and possibly for growth of the container terminal. A major development for the port, the container terminal was expanded in 2010, from 25 to 40 acres. Most recently, an additional 700 feet (213 m) of berth length was completed, signifying the completion of the latest phase of development.

In support of crucial, ongoing maintenance dredging of port berths, a one-year contract worth more than US$7.5m for dredging services aimed at an ensuring that public and private port berths continue to be operable at authorised depths has been approved.

In a “green” initiative, an amendment to an existing agreement with NexLube Tampa has been approved. The company is planning to invest more than US$80m in a plant on Pendola Point that will produce lubricants from a projected 24m gallons (91m litres) of recycled oil annually. Utilising recycling technology currently in use in Europe, the NexLube project entails reprocessing used oil, largely discarded from automobile oil changes, into motor oil that is equal or superior to retail motor oil.