News & Updates
President’s Message: October 2024
No matter what comes our way, Florida’s seaports are resilient.
In the last 30 days, several of our ports have overcome two hurricanes and a port worker strike. While each presented very different challenges, strong leadership at our 16 public ports were able to quickly recover and resume their essential roles in Florida’s supply chain.
It is standard protocol that after a hurricane makes landfall, our ports prioritize petro, people and perishables as they come back online. Florida’s fuel ports play an outsized role in helping all Floridians recover. That’s why they coordinate closely with Florida’s Division of Emergency Management, the Florida Department of Transportation and U.S. Coast Guard to quickly reopen and allow fuel tankers to call on our fuel ports to ensure an adequate flow of fuel throughout the storm impacted region.
If one fuel port, like we saw with SeaPort Manatee following Hurricane Milton, suffers hurricane damage, fuel barges will be redirected to a neighboring port, like Port Tampa Bay and Port Canaveral, to ensure fuel continues to arrive for distribution. Thankfully, fuel barges are now calling on SeaPort Manatee allowing fuel to reach Floridians in the Southwest part of the state.
We are very thankful to Governor Ron DeSantis and FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue for awarding SeaPort Manatee $9.5 million to jumpstart its berth recovery efforts and infrastructure repairs. This is an essential step ensuring that Southwest Florida receives vital supplies, including fuel, fruits and vegetables, appliances, construction materials and wood products.
Special thanks to Port Canaveral for surging gasoline, diesel and jet fuel to ensure it reached Florida’s communities and airports.
Just as mother nature can bring challenges to our ports, life also brings challenges.
Just days before Hurricane Milton made landfall, my wife Brenda unexpectedly passed away. The outpouring of support from Florida’s port community has been appreciated and has played a big role in helping me get through this. Thank you.