Dante B. Fascell Port of Miami-Dade (“Port of Miami”)
Transportation Improvement Program Strategy
PortMiami (Port) is known as the Cruise Capital of the World with more than 4.9 million passengers annually. As a cargo gateway center, the Port handles more than 1,000,000 TEU’s annually. The Port’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is comprised of a total of $258 million in funded projects over the next five years and reflects the Port’s aggressive strategy of optimizing land use and enhancing throughput capacity to meet the demands of the cargo and cruise industries.
As part of the Capital Development Program, the Port is dedicated to meet and exceed industry demands by supporting the following Capital Improvement Projects:
- Cargo Container Yards Modernization
- Cruise Terminals Expansions
- Federal Inspection Station
- Additional Gantry Cranes
The Port continues to assertively seek grant funding from local, state and federal sources. This fiscal year’s (FY16/17) TIP reflects support from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) with $3.7 million for the procurement of cranes, cruise terminal expansion and other infrastructure projects. This agency and the Port’s partners continue to be part of the established goals to support the program and accommodate growth.
PortMiami Accomplishments
Intermodal and Rail Reconnection
The Port recently completed its Intermodal and Rail Reconnection project. It included the rehabilitation of the rail bridge which connects PortMiami to the mainland, the construction of a rail intermodal yard, including working tracks, loading apron, and loading equipment to service the yard.
Miami Harbor Phase III Dredge
PortMiami recently completed its Deep Dredge program increasing the channel depth to minus 50’/52’ feet along with the wharves strengthening in this area. The Port can handle larger ships thus is ready to accommodate the new generation of containerized cargo. We are Big Ship Ready!
Gantry Cranes
The Port now has six (6) Super Post Panamax Gantry cranes and needs four (4) more to effectively service simultaneously two (2) Post Panamax cargo vessels thus the port is buying four (4) more cranes.
Cargo Yard Modernization
PortMiami has invested tremendously to receive larger cargo vessels, by dredging the channel, purchasing new cranes and constructing a tunnel with direct access to the national highway system. In order to handle the increased volume of containers, the port must concentrate on the modernization of its cargo yards through the investment in rubber tired gantry (RTG). Electrification infrastructure and subsurface strengthening program.
Cargo Gates Modernization
The Port will participate with terminal operators to construct modern gate systems to alleviate trucker turn times and labor costs.
Cruise Terminal Expansion
Cruise terminal improvements are preparing the Port for larger cruise ships and continue to provide the most modern facilities for the convenience of the traveling public. These projects include upgrading and expanding existing terminals as well as new terminals.
Bulkheads
The Port is investing in construction technologies to extend the life of its bulkheads. To improve the cruise berths, the Port will implement corrosion protection and seafloor stabilization, while construction methods for the bulkheads along the cargo berths are still being analyzed. Additionally, the Port will be constructing new cruise berths for the next generation of cruise vessels.
Federal Inspection Station
The port, in its effort to modernize its cargo yards, will be relocating various security functions to one centralized Federal Inspection Station (FIS), thus freeing up land for additional cargo laydown space and providing for state of the art security on port.