News & Updates
2025 SEAPORT SPOTLIGHT: Port Panama City
The Panama City Port Authority, created in 1945 by a special act of State Legislature, has been powering trade through northwest Florida for 80 years. Port Panama City is an operating port, providing full terminal and handling services for over two million tons of breakbulk, bulk and containerized cargo annually. Port Panama City also supports two on-port, heavy manufacturing companies and provides vital port services for several large manufacturers in the region.
Port Panama City’s mission is to expand regional economic opportunities by providing modern port facilities, promoting global trade, and supporting industrial development initiative on the local, state and regional levels. The port’s largest growth project has been the development of the East Terminal and the deepening of the East Channel and turning basin. Phase Two is underway with engineering and permitting for an additional warehouse, berth and turning basin capacity improvements, which includes the addition of 200,000 square feet of on-dock warehousing, extending the existing berth 600 feet, and expanding the turning basin. The port anticipates beginning construction of the second warehouse during the third quarter of 2025. The construction of berth extension will follow.
The port remains focused on expanding container handling capacity at its West Terminal to support its growing regional container trade. Construction has started on the next phase of the container terminal expansion, which will be completed by the end of 2025.
Capacity expansion projects completed in 2023 highlight Port Panama City’s continued investment to support long-term cargo growth. The port completed construction of a 20,000-ton capacity storage dome, increasing bulk cargo handling capabilities to handle 300,000 additional tons of biomass exports per year. Additional projects included capacity upgrades to the rail corridor connecting the East Terminal to the Bay Line Railroad, and the development of 54 additional acres of industrial sites at the Intermodal Distribution Center.
The port is actively engaged in regional economic development efforts, working closely with the Bay County Economic Development Alliance and Florida’s Great Northwest. As part of its commitment to attract manufacturing and distribution companies to the region, the port developed a modern Intermodal Distribution Center (IDC) to promote warehousing and distribution services, provide facilities for the transfer of bulk and neo-bulk commodities between rail and truck, and provide a portfolio of improved industrial sites for new industries. These sites are shovel-ready, rail-served and ready to attract additional manufacturing and distribution companies to the region. The IDC is strategically located 15 miles inland from both port terminals, connected to US HWY 231, the main truck corridor connecting Panama City to I-10 and I-65, and direct rail service to CSX and Norfolk Southern is provided by the Bay Line Railroad.
Port Panama City generates $1.6 billion in economic value for the region, with port and cargo activity supporting 10,790 jobs in Florida, according to a 2023 Martin and Associations Economic Impact study.