As with the majority of the ports that line Floridas coasts, the Port of Pensacola wont be in the scrum for mega-freighters that come through a wider Panama Canal. But like its smaller port counterparts, the Port of Pensacola -- which already trades greatly in frozen foods and wind-power components -- will be in the hunt for business that spins off from the expansion of the east-west trade when the canal widening is expected to be completed in 2014, said Port Director Clyde Mathis.
We hope to play a role in some small container feeder services that may spin off from the expansion, Mathis said. However, we greatly appreciate the efforts of Governor Scott and others in helping Florida ports prepare for the expected increase in traffic and vessel sizes.
The port, along the Gulf of Mexico, sits on 50 acres and, as Mathis notes, has no options for expansion in acreage. So the focus is growth in three other areas:
-- Supporting the oil and gas industry. We are a service center for vessels that provide support services, such as dive and pipe-laying, for the Gulf operations, Mathis said.
-- Handling more frozen poultry products. We have a freezer warehouse on port that we export poultry through to Cuba, West Africa, and the European Baltic and Black Sea areas, Mathis said.
-- Wind power. We are expecting a big year in 2012 in the wind-energy sector, Mathis said. We expect to be exporting and importing various wind turbine generator units. The growth in wind power is expected because General Electric has a plant in Pensacola that produces nacelle generator units that are already exported through the port, he noted.
Port of Pensacola:
Located on the Bay of Pensacola, south of downtown Pensacola, the port is dredged to 33 feet. The Port of Pensacola is an enterprise department of the city of Pensacola and is governed by the Pensacola City Council. Web: http://www.portofpensacola.com/live/
Cargo: Nearly 900,000 tons a year, with a goal of 1.13 million tons by 2015. (Port of Panama City now handles 1.35 million tons a year with a goal of 2.3 million tons by 2015.)
Exports: Frozen food, bagged food products, paper products, electric and wind-power generation equipment, and offshore exploration supplies and materials.
Imports: Forest products, asphalt, paper products, construction materials, cement, electric and wind-power generation equipment.
Operations:
Foreign Trade Zone, Enterprise Zone, stevedoring and marine terminal services. Seven warehouses with 265,000 square feet of available indoor storage area. Covered railcar loading and unloading. Four acres of open, outside storage (lay down) area with 8 to 10 additional acres available for future development.
On-dock rail service provided by CSX Transportation, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, and Rail America (Alabama & Gulf Coast Railway).
Eight berths ranging in depth from 16 to 33 feet, including 2,360 linear feet of primary deepwater berths, 1,000 linear feet of secondary shallow draft berths, and 1,000 linear feet of shallow draft moorage. Deepwater berths are supported by 1,200 linear feet of rail track.
A full range of stevedoring services and cargo handling equipment.
ISPS-certified and U.S. Department of Homeland Security- and Florida Department of Law Enforcement-compliant security force and procedures. An efficient, experienced and professional labor force. State and local development funds and incentive programs available for qualified projects.
Port of Pensacola timeline:
1821: Secretary of State John Quincy Adams ordered the building of the forts and Navy Yard at Pensacola. Caused huge upswing in timber trade.
1826: First saw mill built in Pensacola area.
1828-50: Brick exports increased.
185: First foreign shipment of lumber to leave the port.
1861: Confederate Army seized Pensacola and its resources. When they retreated, the Confederates burned and destroyed port facilities and other industrial properties. Trade ceased. After the war, the city and the port were rebuilt.
1870: Resurgence of timber trade.
1875-95: 4,168,319,000 feet of lumber was carried through the Port of Pensacola with a value of approximately $50 million. Other significant exports were barrel staves, cotton, phosphates, grain, tobacco, flour, resin, and turpentine, as well as coal, pig iron and shingles.
1882: Pensacola & Atlantic Railroad (later L&N) constructed a link to Jacksonville. Later, L&N acquired rights to build docks and warehouses, and to purchase steamships to handle cargo. Pensacola's population was 13,000.
1880s: There were 16 wharves over 3 miles from Bayou Texar to Bayou Chico, primarily privately owned.
1929: Stock market crash and beginning of the Great Depression. The port languished.
1941: World War II. Need for coal for Allied forces caused new activity for Port of Pensacola. Also the beginning of new interest in waterfront potential.
1942: Round table established to explore ways to revitalize the port. Representatives from Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis, Jaycees, Chamber of Commerce and others led by Calvin Todd, a wholesale grocer, recommended the port be put under public ownership.
1943: Municipal Port Authority was established and purchased the major wharves originally owned by L&N and St. Louis and San Francisco railroads. Full-time port director hired.
1948: Fire destroyed 500 feet of L&N docks.
1955: Second fire swept Muscogee wharf, ending coal shipments.
1958: Fire destroyed Commendencia Street/city docks.
1958: Businesses, City Council, and Authority joined forces to redevelop port facilities.
1960: Trade broke off with Cuba (during 1950s, Cuba was the major destination of cargo through Port of Pensacola). Port began looking for new trade opportunities.
1963: Phase I of the new port facilities operational and successful.
1965: Florida ports exported 98 percent of all creosote-treated poles; 63 percent of Florida's exported peanuts were shipped through Port of Pensacola.
1966: Fire destroyed Frisco Docks; building of new terminal warehouses planned.
1970: Phase II of new port facilities established.
1976: Port Authority dis-established and Port of Pensacola made a department of the city of Pensacola by ordinance No. 49-76.
1978-82: Additional warehouses built; dry and liquid bulk storage and distribution facilities enhanced cargo-handling capabilities.
1997: Port operations switched from operating port to landlord/tenant port. Focus switched from agricultural bagged goods to other diverse cargos such as wood pulp, frozen meat and poultry products, sulphur and asphalt, steel pipe, aggregate, lumber, railcars and bulk lime.
The first installment of this series: "Port Canaveral Bulking Cargo and Cruise Passengers" can be found here.
The second: "Port Backers Offer Vision to Make Florida the Global Hub" can be found here.
The third: "Gateway to the Caribbean Seeks Inland Expansion" can be found here.
The fourth: "Port of Miami is Digging for Growth" can be found here.
The fifth: "Key West: Port of Cruises" can be found here.
The sixth: "Port of Fernandina Looking Inland" can be found here.
(This is the seventh in a weekly series with port directors in Florida.)
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.
