Port Manatee to Receive $9 Million TIGER II Grant

Port Manatee is set to receive $9 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation as part of the second round of the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant program.

The money will kick-start construction of the port’s planned 32-acre container terminal adjacent to Berth 12 and help expand its container handling and storage capacity for its short sea shipping operation and for other tenants.

“There were nearly 1,000 applicants for this money and we know we are fortunate to have been selected,” said David L. McDonald, Port Manatee’s executive director. “We had a lot of support from the Tampa Bay maritime community, our customers and elected officials who championed the port’s cause, and we’re thankful for the success.”

By The Numbers: U.S. Foreign Trade.

Port Manatee is one of seven ports, including also the Port of Miami, to receive a portion of the $600 million in available TIGER II grant funding.

The Port of Miami was granted $22.8 million to rebuild the rail bridge to the port that was severely damaged by a storm and to help establish intermodal container rail service at the port by building an intermodal yard and intermodal container rail transfer facility.

-- Contact Peter T. Leach at pleach@joc.com.