Facility Expansion: Port Everglades, South Louisiana

Port Everglades Launches $437.5 Million Expansion Project

The Broward County Board of County Commissioners last week approved a $437.5 million expansion project that will add new berths for larger cargo ships and install crane rail infrastructure for new Super Post-Panamax cranes at Port Everglades.

The Southport Turning Notch Expansion (STNE) project will lengthen the existing deepwater turn-around area for cargo ships from approximately 900 feet to 2,400 feet, enough for up to five new cargo berths. The existing gantry crane rails will be extended the full length of the extended Turning Notch berth to utilize the existing cranes. A separate agreement to purchase three new super post-Panamax container gantry cranes for delivery in 2019, and an option to purchase two or three additional cranes will be presented to the Broward County Commission in June.

This two-part expansion project is the most expensive capital improvement agreement awarded in Port Everglades' history.

The STNE includes replacing 8.7 acres of an existing mangrove conservation easement with a 16.5-acre upland enhancement of approximately 70,000 new mangroves and wetland plants, a project element that is now completed.

"The Southport Turning Notch Extension was identified as a critical project in our 2006 Master/Vision Plan. We will now be able to meet the demands of our current customers and work with them to grow their businesses, in addition to providing the infrastructure necessary to attract new customers," said Port Chief Executive Steven Cernak, PPM®.

The Port Everglades Department is a self-supporting Enterprise Fund of Broward County, with operating revenues of more than $163 million in Fiscal Year 2016. It does not rely on local tax dollars for operations.

South Louisiana Port Expands Warehouse at Globalplex Intermodal Terminal

The Port of South Louisiana celebrated the official opening of the expansion to warehouse #19 at Globalplex Intermodal Terminal with a ribbon cutting ceremony on May 21. Approximately 90 percent of the project’s $9.6 million cost was funded by the Louisiana Department of Port Construction and Development Priority Program.

The 77,520 square-foot annex, which was designed to store and process bulk commodities, consists of a 14-inch thick pile-supported concrete floor with a load capacity of 2,160 pounds per square foot, a metal frame designed to resist up to 136 MPH hurricane-force winds, and a pitched metal roof deck 67 feet 10 inches high and 36-foot eaves.

The six bays have a storage capacity of 106,000 cubic feet each for a total storage capacity of approximately 45,000 tons of material.

The project also included a new roadway and other paved areas, a loading dock ramp, truck scales, conveyors, bulk storage bins, and the acquisition of a wheel loader.

Barton International, a resident tenant of Globalplex since 2006, is using the warehouse for its garnet abrasive operation. The expanded facility, which triples the company’s storage footprint, will be used to store industrial garnet, which is used in waterjet cutting, coatings removal, and other specialized abrasives applications.
Associated Terminals will continue to provide bulk logistics services (vessel unloading, storage of raw product, product processing, finished product storage, and finished product loading and distribution).

"We dedicate a beautiful warehouse today," said Port Executive Director Paul G. Aucoin. "This is the result of a joint effort by the Port of South Louisiana, the State of Louisiana, Associated Terminals and Barton International. We couldn’t be more pleased."

Interior of Warehouse #19 annex
Photo/Alexandra Hernandez, Port of South Louisiana