Business diversity and a strong commitment to customer service distinguishes Port Everglades from most U.S. seaports. With its proximity to the popular Caribbean, Port Everglades is the third busiest cruise homeport in the world. It is a leading container port in Florida and among the most active cargo ports nationally.

Port Everglades is also South Florida’s main seaport for receiving energy products, including gasoline and jet fuel. Port customers benefit from direct highway access, an international airport within two miles, state-of-the-art foreign-trade zone warehousing and a 43-acre international and domestic intermodal container transfer facility that makes it possible for cargo shipped to Port Everglades to reach Atlanta and Charlotte by rail within two days and 70 percent of the U.S. population in four days. An epicenter for international trade, the Port is positioned in one of the world’s largest consumer regions, including a combined 110 million residents and seasonal visitors within an 80-mile radius.

Port Everglades is the U.S. gateway for trade with Latin America, moving 13 percent of all U.S./Latin American trade. The Port’s diversified cargo mix includes containers, refrigerated cargo (4th for imports in the United States), new and used automobiles and trucks, dry bulk, breakbulk, project, RO/RO and liquid bulk. Approximately 38 percent of the transportation fuels consumed in Florida are stored and distributed by companies located within Port Everglades, including jet fuel for four international airports.

In a typical, non-COVID year, Port Everglades hosts nearly 4 million cruise passengers annually sailing Caribbean, South American and Transatlantic itineraries offered by a variety of cruise lines and one daily ferry service. Guests enjoy the Port’s proximity to three international airports including the rapidly growing Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) less than two miles away. For pre- and post-cruise stays, Port Everglades is a short drive to sweeping beachfronts, a vibrant art scene, world-class restaurants, craft breweries, entertainment, shopping, casinos, and family-friendly activities — including its namesake, the Florida Everglades.

Always striving to modernize its facilities to maximize productivity, Port Everglades follows an aggressive, comprehensive Master/Vision Plan that is updated every 2-4 years to reanalyze market trends, changes in the cruise, cargo shipping and energy industries, local planning initiatives and evolving technology. This in-depth analysis provides a projective and substantiated market-driven and environmentally sound phased roadmap for guiding cost- feasible capital investments.

A Broward County department, Port Everglades does not rely on local tax dollars for operations. The total value of economic activity related to Port Everglades was nearly $29 billion is fiscal year 2020. More than 196,000 Florida jobs are impacted by the Port, including 10,389 people who work for companies providing direct services.

Through a comprehensive 20-Year Master/Vision Plan, Port Everglades and its consultant Bermello Ajamil & Partners, Inc. (B&A) have identified 50 infrastructure improvements, budgeted from $1.6 billion to $3 billion that will increase the Port’s productivity over the next five, 10 and 20 years. More than half of the projects will be started and/or completed within the next five years.

Goals & Objectives

  • Complete the Southport Turning Notch Extension and crane rail infrastructure project.
  • Develop a shore power program for cruise ships with Florida Power & Light and cruise line partners.
  • Complete the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Port Everglades Navigation Improvement Project.
  • Diversify cruise line mix and begin renovations to Cruise Terminal 4 for Disney Cruise Line.

Current or Planned Investments

  • Construction is 75 percent completed on the largest infrastructure project in the Port’s history. The Southport Turning Notch Extension, slated for completion in late 2023, will add new cargo berths and Super Post-Panamax container gantry cranes to the Port’s main containerized cargo area by lengthening the existing turnaround area (turning notch) from 900 feet to 2,400 feet. Part of the $471 million project includes installing crane rail infrastructure to handle new Super Post-Panamax container gantry cranes and the Port’s existing cranes.
  • Port Everglades commissioned three Super Post- Panamax container gantry cranes in February 2021 at $13.8 million each to meet demands from current customers and new services anticipated from the Port’s multi-million-dollar expansion program. Three additional Super Post-Panamax container gantry cranes are under construction and anticipated to arrive in late 2024.
  • To further enhance ship traffic at Port Everglades, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is advancing a 24-year plan to deepen the Port’s navigation channels from 42 feet to 48-50 feet and widen narrower sections of the channel for safe vessel passage. Construction is anticipated to be completed by 2030.
  • In the Port’s energy sector, a $184-million Slip 1 expansion will allow the Port to safely service the petroleum industry with greater capacity, efficiency, sustainability and resiliency. This is a public-private partnership, with the civil infrastructure being constructed by the Port and petroleum transfer infrastructure being installed by private industry partners.

Accomplishments

  • Received first three of six low profile super post-Panamax gantry cranes in November 2020, placed into service in late February 2021, and commissioned with a combination live and “virtual” ceremony on March 21, 2021.
  • Completed construction on the 1,818-space, state-of-the-art Heron Parking Garage, which serves Cruise Terminals 2 and 4.
  • Received a construction “New Start” designation in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) FY 2020 Work Plan. The New Start designation funds $29.1 million to build a new facility for the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Station in Fort Lauderdale.

Hinterland

Cargo:
Port Everglades is in the heart of one of the world’s largest consumer regions, with a constant flow of seasonal visitors and up to 110 million residents plus within a 500-mile radius. The Florida East Coast Railway’s 43-acre intermodal container transfer facility makes it possible for cargo shipped into Port Everglades to reach Atlanta and Charlotte in two days, Memphis and Nashville in three days, and 70 percent of the U.S. population in four days.

Cruise:
The Caribbean, Central America, South America, Panama Canal and Europe.

Trade Partners

Mission

As a premier gateway and powerhouse for international trade, travel and investment, Broward County’s Port Everglades leverages its world-class South Florida facilities and innovative leadership to drive the region’s economic vitality and provide unparalleled levels of service, safety, environmental stewardship and community engagement.