Broward commissioners get Port Everglades update

Broward commissioners get Port Everglades update Broward County Commissioners Tuesday received an update on the proposed Port Everglades master plan, including proposals for longer berths and deeper shipping channels to position the port for calls by a variety of larger ships.
   The commissioners will ultimately have the final say on the master plan, which will serve as the guideline for future infrastructure enhancements. The plan includes outlooks and proposals for market conditions in 10 years and 20 years, and will be used to determine a near-term, five-year capital improvements program.
   For example, the expansion of the Panama Canal, which is scheduled for completion in 2014, will likely have a significant impact on the port 10 years from now, as will the increased use of larger containerships and cruise ships.
   In 20 years, the market increases could mean the port will be in a position to handle as much as 2.7 million twenty-foot equivalent units of containerized cargo, according to projections compiled by the consulting firm DMJM Harris, which is overseeing the master plan projections.
   With larger ships and greater cargo volumes expected in the future, the port will need longer vessel berths and deeper shipping channels, Richard Heidrich, DMJM vice president, told the commissioners.
   Port Everglades is also likely to see an increase in bulk and breakbulk cargoes related to the construction industry. With deeper and wider shipping channels coming into the port, it will be easier to handle imported bulk cargoes such as aggregates and cement.
   Tuesday's session was a workshop intended to keep the commissioners appraised of the outlook for port expansion. The commissioners are expected to approve a final version of the master plan by late spring or early summer.