A cargo terminal at Port Canaveral that has been functionally obsolete since 2014 is en route to becoming state-of-the-art, as the port is in the midst of a nearly $50 million upgrade to its North Cargo Berth 3 complex.
Port Canaveral leaders on Thursday joined about 75 federal, state, municipal, military and business officials for a ceremonial groundbreaking event at the terminal, where work on the project already is well underway.
Port Canaveral officials say the project will help the port remain competitive in the global marketplace, in turn, supporting economic prosperity for the region.
“This is an exciting time for Port Canaveral and the entire port community,” representing “a new chapter” in the port’s development, Canaveral Port Authority Chairman Jerry Allender told those in attendance at the event. He called the groundbreaking event “a momentous occasion.”
The project will be largely funded by two grants — a $33 million Florida Department of Transportation grant and a $14 million Port Infrastructure Development Program grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration.
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Port Canaveral Chief Executive Officer John Murray said the port is appreciative of the federal and state partners involved in helping get the grants.
“Access to grant funding is critical,” Murray said.
Among the speakers at the event was U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, who said the cargo berth represents “critical infrastructure” for the area, adding that the port provides “the absolute most unwavering, unstoppable and ever-growing economic engine in the region.”
Florida Sen. Tom Wright, R-New Smyrna Beach — whose Senate district includes Port Canaveral — noted that the port faced “tremendous uncertain times” from the cruise industry shutdown triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, halting multiday cruises from Port Canaveral for 16½ months. But he added that the port’s cargo operations pressed forward during that time.
“You must remember the great benefits that are being reaped from the diversified cargo now that they are bringing into the port and spreading throughout the state of Florida and elsewhere,” Wright said.
Canaveral Port Authority commissioners in September awarded Titusville-based Rush Marine a $48.07 million contract for the North Cargo Berth 3 project. Local subcontractors working with Rush on the project include Chrome Electric, Franklin Services of Brevard and WLS Utilities.
Jacobs Engineering Group is the designer of the project, receiving a separate $1.84 million contract.
This project involves constructing a 880-foot-long replacement berth at North Cargo Pier 3 to replace the current over-water pier. This will allow for wider ships in the channel and replaces the current sheet-pile wall port officials say is in desperate need of replacement.
The contractor has begun the installation of the A-frame piles, and has installed 118 of 178 of those piles to the initial installation depth. Demolition of the existing concrete pier deck is complete, and existing piles now are being pulled.
“North Cargo Pier 3 is making great progress,” William Crowe, Port Canaveral’s vice president of engineering, construction and facilities, told Canaveral Port Authority commissioners during a briefing at their monthly meeting on Wednesday. “We’re excited about that partnership with Rush Marine. They’re doing a fantastic job.”
The project is schedule for completion in April 2023.
Port officials estimate that 113 people will be working on the construction project — a project that will include 5.68 million pounds of steel piles, 2.15 million pounds of reinforced steel and 9,000 cubic yards of cast-in-place concrete.
William Chivers, president and chief executive officer of Rush Marine’s parent company, RUSH Construction, said nearly half of his employee-owned company’s 100 employees will be working on this project.
Rush Marine President Tony Landry said his company is “absolutely excited and humbled” to be working with the port on the North Cargo Berth 3 project.
Landry noted that the contract terms, with the grants, call for U.S.-made steel and other materials to be used on the project.
During its 2020-21 budget year that ended Sept. 30, Port Canaveral set a cargo record, as cargo revenue was $11.14 million, up 16% from the $9.63 million in previous budget year.
The port’s cargo revenue, including cargo-released lease revenue, for the first five months of the current budget year (October 2021 through February 2022) is $7.01 million, up from $6.06 million for the same months in the previous budget year.
Murray said the port is on its way to another record cargo year.
Among Port Canaveral’s major cargo commodities are petroleum, granite, limestone, slag, lumber and salt.
North Cargo Berth 3 will be able to handle most commodities, other than petroleum, that Port Canaveral receives.
Murray said the port needs that berth to be functioning again to help in the coordination of cargo shipments coming into the port, and provide more scheduling flexibility.
Port Canaveral has been working to expand its cargo operations in a variety of ways, including by deepening the harbor to accommodate larger ships; upgrading seawalls and berthing facilities; making landside improvements; investing in mobile harbor cranes; and expanding access to cargo terminals through roadway improvements.
The port also is starting preliminary work on rebuilding the nearby North Cargo Berth 4, a project estimated to cost about $50 million. Jacobs is doing the preliminary design work on that project, via a $616,329 contract.
Murray said Port Canaveral will be seeking federal and state grants to help fund the North Cargo Berth 4 project as well.
Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at [email protected]. Twitter: @bydaveberman.
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