Port of Miami Deep Dredge Project
Encyclopedia
The Port of Miami Deep Dredge Project is a planned project to expand the Port of Miami
by dredging the bay to allow new, larger cargo ships to enter the port. This project is related to the "New Panamax" project to be completed by 2014 that involves a major expansion of the Panama Canal
. The port, which is currently 42 feet deep, will have to be dredged to 50 feet in depth to allow the new Super Post Panamax Megaships to enter. This project also coincides with the Port of Miami Tunnel project, also to be completed by 2014, that will allow trucks to bypass Downtown Miami, resulting in twice the traffic capacity to the port. The ports of New York, Norfolk, and Baltimore, have already undergone these projects. The Deep Dredge, along with port facility improvements such as the addition of two new large gantry crane
s will make the Port of Miami cabable of berthing even the next largest container vessels in the world, the Maersk Triple E Class
, which will have a draught of 48 feet (14.6 m) and will be nearly 200 feet (61 m) wide, and are also set to be completed in 2014.
in Fort Lauderdale, and ports in Tampa, Jacksonville, Savannah and Charleston. Aside from Miami being the only southeastern port that has given a nominal price for the project (180 million), the distance to be dredged is less than that of other ports, at 2.5 miles. As of December 2010, the port has already secured $17.5 million from the state and $120 million from the county for the project, which has been authorized by Congress. One notable issue is opposition to the use of state and federal earmarks, which the port has been seeking to use to get the funding. GOP leaders in Congress are attempting to ban earmarks; the amount of this federal money Bill Johnson is seeking to fund the Deep Dredge is 75 million. Governor elect Rick Scott, who promised to reignite the state's economy and spur job growth, visited the port to learn about the project, but did not take a side. He said that "It appears to make all the sense in the world" but also said "I don't support any earmarks,". If Miami does not get the funding and the dredging is not done by 2014, South Florida may lose trade traffic to nearby ports such as Freeport
, a foreign port in the Bahamas, which is already 50 feet. Four ports in Florida are being considered for expansion, Tampa, Miami, Jacksonville, and the Everglades.
With the correct funding, the Port of Miami estimates that it is capable of completing such a project by 2014, estimating that it will take 18 months to complete. It is also estimated that this project could double Miami's cargo business in the next 10 years as well as creating over 30,000 permanent jobs for Miami, which currently has a very high unemployment rate. Currently the port supports 176,000 jobs and $17 billion annually. This project has been advocated greatly by Port of Miami Director Bill Johnson as well as Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado
, and Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez, as well as other elected officials. It is also supported by local media.
The World Trade Center Miami argues that the funding necessary to complete the project is only a small fraction of the 3 billion dollars in federal aid recently rejected by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to improve rail infrastructure between New York City and New Jersey.
system. Obama recently cut the 75 million dollars of funding that was supposed to pay for half the cost of the two mile dredging. Rick Scott recently flew to Panama to witness the Panama Canal expansion.
Port of Miami
The Dante B. Fascell Port of Miami is a seaport located in Biscayne Bay in Miami, Florida, United States. It is connected to Downtown Miami by Port Boulevard, a bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway. The port is located on Dodge Island, which is the combination of three historic islands that have...
by dredging the bay to allow new, larger cargo ships to enter the port. This project is related to the "New Panamax" project to be completed by 2014 that involves a major expansion of the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
. The port, which is currently 42 feet deep, will have to be dredged to 50 feet in depth to allow the new Super Post Panamax Megaships to enter. This project also coincides with the Port of Miami Tunnel project, also to be completed by 2014, that will allow trucks to bypass Downtown Miami, resulting in twice the traffic capacity to the port. The ports of New York, Norfolk, and Baltimore, have already undergone these projects. The Deep Dredge, along with port facility improvements such as the addition of two new large gantry crane
Gantry crane
Gantry cranes, bridge cranes, and overhead cranes, are all types of cranes which lift objects by a hoist which is fitted in a hoist trolley and can move horizontally on a rail or pair of rails fitted under a beam...
s will make the Port of Miami cabable of berthing even the next largest container vessels in the world, the Maersk Triple E Class
Maersk Triple E class
The Maersk Triple E class is a planned family of large, fuel-efficient container ships, designed as a successor to the Mærsk E-class. In February 2011, Maersk awarded Daewoo Shipbuilding a US$1.9 billion contract to build twenty of the ships....
, which will have a draught of 48 feet (14.6 m) and will be nearly 200 feet (61 m) wide, and are also set to be completed in 2014.
Overview
The Port of Miami is the closest US port to the Panama Canal, making it expected to be the most desired port for the new ships using the Panama Canal. Other ports competing for government funding in similar projects include Port EvergladesPort Everglades
Port Everglades is a port in Broward County, Florida. As one of South Florida's leading economic powerhouses, Port Everglades is the gateway for international trade and cruise vacations. Already one of the three busiest cruise ports worldwide, Port Everglades is also one of Florida's leading...
in Fort Lauderdale, and ports in Tampa, Jacksonville, Savannah and Charleston. Aside from Miami being the only southeastern port that has given a nominal price for the project (180 million), the distance to be dredged is less than that of other ports, at 2.5 miles. As of December 2010, the port has already secured $17.5 million from the state and $120 million from the county for the project, which has been authorized by Congress. One notable issue is opposition to the use of state and federal earmarks, which the port has been seeking to use to get the funding. GOP leaders in Congress are attempting to ban earmarks; the amount of this federal money Bill Johnson is seeking to fund the Deep Dredge is 75 million. Governor elect Rick Scott, who promised to reignite the state's economy and spur job growth, visited the port to learn about the project, but did not take a side. He said that "It appears to make all the sense in the world" but also said "I don't support any earmarks,". If Miami does not get the funding and the dredging is not done by 2014, South Florida may lose trade traffic to nearby ports such as Freeport
Freeport, Bahamas
Freeport is a city, district and free trade zone located on the island of Grand Bahama of the North-west Bahamas. In 1955, Wallace Groves, a Virginian financier with lumber interests in Grand Bahama, was granted 50,000 acres Freeport is a city, district and free trade zone located on the island of...
, a foreign port in the Bahamas, which is already 50 feet. Four ports in Florida are being considered for expansion, Tampa, Miami, Jacksonville, and the Everglades.
With the correct funding, the Port of Miami estimates that it is capable of completing such a project by 2014, estimating that it will take 18 months to complete. It is also estimated that this project could double Miami's cargo business in the next 10 years as well as creating over 30,000 permanent jobs for Miami, which currently has a very high unemployment rate. Currently the port supports 176,000 jobs and $17 billion annually. This project has been advocated greatly by Port of Miami Director Bill Johnson as well as Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado
Tomás Regalado (American politician)
Tomás Pedro Regalado is a former broadcast journalist and current mayor of Miami, Florida.He served as the news director for Radio Mambi WAQI and as a reporter for Univision...
, and Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez, as well as other elected officials. It is also supported by local media.
The World Trade Center Miami argues that the funding necessary to complete the project is only a small fraction of the 3 billion dollars in federal aid recently rejected by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to improve rail infrastructure between New York City and New Jersey.
History
In March 2011, governor Rick Scott amended the 77 million dollar loan needed to go ahead with the project. The funds were not included in the Obama Administration's new budget, they will instead be taken out of a 7 billion dollar Florida transportation fund. Rick Scott announced this at the same time he declined a 2.4 billion dollar grant to fund the proposed Florida High Speed RailFlorida High Speed Rail
Florida High Speed Rail was a proposed high-speed rail project in the U.S. state of Florida. Initial service would have run between the cities of Tampa and Orlando, with plans to then extend service to South Florida, terminating in Miami. Trains with a top speed of to would have run on dedicated...
system. Obama recently cut the 75 million dollars of funding that was supposed to pay for half the cost of the two mile dredging. Rick Scott recently flew to Panama to witness the Panama Canal expansion.