U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, South Atlantic Division, Brig. Gen. Zachary Miller, along with Command Sgt. Maj. Derrick Braud met with Port Director Joe Morris for a presentation and tour at Port Everglades recently.
The Port Everglades Navigation Improvements Project, led by USACE Jacksonville District will deepen and widen the port’s navigational channels and turning basin to address safe shipping requirements for larger cargo ships, petroleum tankers and cruise ships.
“ Crucial for our national security, Port Everglades is the #1 refrigerated cargo port in Florida, supplies 1/3 of Florida’s fuel needs and is ranked #3 cruise homeport in the world ,” USACE said.
The port is strategically located with access to a multi-modal transportation network, including the Atlantic Ocean shipping lanes, the Florida East Coast railway, Florida’s highway system, and the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
The existing Federal Channel project depth of 42-feet does not provide adequate, safe depth for large tankers and container ships currently visiting the harbor.
Also, the next generation of container ships and oil tankers requires significantly more channel depth to operate efficiently.