Feds award US$9 million yard grant to Florida's Port Manatee

PORT Manatee, on Tampa Bay, is one of three Florida ports to receive a federal construction grant of US$9 million from the US Department of Transportation to build a 32-acre intermodal container yard.

The grant falls short of the port's request for $25.7 million. The projects include the extension of Berth 12 for the container yard and the purchase of two energy-efficient shunting engines to relieve rail traffic congestion generated from cargo flowing between Florida and Texas.

Manatee County Port Authority chairman Larry Bustle said the grant amount is "very significant", reported The Bradenton Herald. "I think it's perhaps the jump start that we've been looking for to get things really moving at the port. Since Berth 12, the south port area, is our primary focus right now, we think the $9 million can be leveraged to pay for most of what we want to do on Berth 12," said Mr Bustle.

US Senator Bill Nelson was one of 50 supporters, including local businessmen, to write to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood backing the grant. "This is an important step that should help Port Manatee increase ship traffic and cargo, which could lead to new jobs for the region."

The port's senior director of special projects Steve Tyndal said it was fortunate to receive an award given the 1,000 applications for a $400 million allocation for the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery programme aimed at improving transport infrastructure.
 

Source: SchedNet