COVER STORY

The Port of Panama City has a clear vision of its role in the regional economy. In 2003, its Board of Directors focused the mission of the Port on “building modern seaport facilities, promoting trade, and supporting industrial development.” Since that time, the Port Authority has invested $150 million in expanding and modernizing its facilities. The Port has increased its cargo activities threefold, and has been actively supporting existing industries and attracting new industry to the region.

Building Modern Seaport Facilities

The Port Authority has consistently invested in improvements to increase its overall cargo handling capacity. Some of this is not visible – such as the reinforced bulkheads and the deepening of the entrance channel and berths. Other improvements have included a port-wide drainage system, upgraded internal roads, new rail infrastructure, heavy paving, and high mast lighting. The Port has invested over $10 million in cranes and equipment designed to effectively handle containerized cargo. The Port invested another $14 million in a bulk terminal specifically designed to handle wood pellets.

The most significant investment to date is the Port’s $60 million development of its new East Terminal. This project included purchasing the old “Bay Harbour” docks

and warehouses in Millville. The existing facilities were quite old and very limited in terms of water depths and cargo capacity. The new East Terminal facility includes deeper water and a modern warehouse with twice the capacity of the old buildings. More important, there is room on the East Terminal site for a second deep berth and two more cargo warehouses.

Altogether, the Port’s investment in new facilities have allowed Port Panama City, USA to become one of the most modern, efficient regional Ports in the country.

Promoting Trade

The Port has carved out a strong niche for handling imported copper from South America. The Port is also facilitating the export of forest products worldwide and is building a valuable two-way trade of consumer products with Mexico. All of these activities are expected to grow, especially the forest products exports and the trade with Mexico.

The East Terminal development has added over 500,000 tons of new capacity for handling paper, pulp, and lumber. Future improvements at the East Terminal can add another 1,000,000 tons of cargo capacity. Over time, this facility can help Port Panama City, USA become one of the most important forest products export ports in the country. The Port’s Mexican trade is growing in volume and in cargo value, based on the very attractive shipping connections provided by Linea Peninsular. To accommodate the expected growth of the Mexican trade, the Port has constructed distribution warehouses just north of town in the Port’s Intermodal Distribution Center (IDC). Next year the Port will add an on-port container freight warehouse, order a new container handling crane, and expand its container stacking yard to accommodate growth in this trade.

Cargo and ship activity is the “rocket fuel” the Port needs to keep increasing the Port’s positive economic benefits in the region. This activity provides the revenues needed for the Port Authority to build and maintain its facilities and to upgrade its services. Cargo activity and ship traffic also provides the revenues needed to sustain the critical maritime infrastructure including the pilots, tug operators, stevedoring companies, ship’s agents, cargo forwarders, and Customs Officers. Cargo operations alone support 1,200 jobs in Bay County. It also gives the Port the resources to pursue its other economic development goals.

Supporting Industrial Development

A healthy and growing Port Panama City, USA is very important to a number of large industrial Port users including Berg Pipe, Oceaneering International and WestRock.