Commissioner Murman quoted in this Tampa Tribune article on Port:
BUSINESS NEWS
Enormous cranes arriving at Port Tampa Bay to service wider ships
By Yvette C. Hammett | Tribune Staff
Published: March 29, 2016
Updated: March 30, 2016 at 06:55 AM
TAMPA — The long-awaited arrival of two enormous gantry cranes capable of reaching across today’s wider freighters are expected to duck under the Sunshine Skyway at dawn Friday, headed for Port Tampa Bay.
The $24 million mega cranes, constructed in China, will allow the port to handle the wider loads on new container ships traveling to and from Tampa.
More cargo coming in on these larger container ships is expected to translate into more jobs for terminal operators, laborers, crane operators, truck drivers and logistic services.
“Getting the delivery of the Post Panamax cranes (for wider ships built in conjunction with the recent expansion of the Panama Canal) on Friday has huge significance for Port Tampa Bay,” said Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandy Murman, who sits on the Tampa Port Authority Board. “First and foremost is the picture worth a thousand words upon the arrival that represents the opportunity for the port to grow exponentially by doubling the size of the ships we can handle at the port. More ships means more goods for export or import. That equals jobs and economic growth for our region.
“Second, we will be the only port along the west coast with these gigantic cranes which is huge for our region,” Murman said. She said it took a big effort by Gov. Rick Scott, the legislature and the Florida Department of Transportation to make the purchase possible.
The cranes were purchased with a grant from the state and with a loan from the Florida Department of Transportation’s State Infrastructure Bank.
The new cranes will have a reach of 160 feet, the width of 19 cargo containers. New post Panamax ships can hold 19 containers across their girth. The 42-year-old cranes now in operation at the port extend only 110 feet, the width of 11 cargo containers.
“The cranes will be 15 stories taller than our existing cranes and allow us to market Tampa Bay to shipping companies around the world we just couldn’t serve prior to these cranes arriving,” said Port CEO Paul Anderson. “We’re very excited. This will have a generational impact on Tampa Bay and our ability to grow as a container port and be a gateway for the I-4 corridor and the Central Flroida market,” he said.
The slow-moving vessel carrying the cranes has already arrived off the coast of Pinellas County, where the cranes are being repositioned to go under the Skyway. They are expected to arrive at the port around noon on Friday.
