TAMPA, Fla. — As Port Tampa Bay closes out 2024 and celebrating its latest economic impact report, it has its eyes on the future.

Port Tampa Bay moves 34.6 million tons of cargo a year, and in the past decade has increased its shipping container operations from 40,000 to 300,000.

In the coming years, it could be moving even more.

Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer for Port Tampa Bay says the port is currently working for approval of a major dredging project, which could increase shipping capacity even more.

Port Tampa Bay’s shipping channel running from downtown Tampa to the Sunshine Skyway bridge is currently 43-feet deep.

It wants to dredge the 40-mile channel to at least 47-feet deep, which would support larger and wider cargo ships.

The spoils from the dredge, or the dirt and sand dragged off the bottom of the channel, could be used to create new land mass, adding more berth space for cargo ships to dock.

The project would make Port Tampa Bay an even more central shipping hub to compete with other large ports in the southeast.

“For many years, a lot of the cargo, and still to certain points, continue to move from out of state,” said Alfonso. “Cargos that are imported from a hub port, like Savannah for example, then it’s consolidated and it is trucked into our region. So our recent growth is because we are becoming a diverse, efficient supply chain solution for our growing community.”

New long-term leases have already been signed on the port’s sprawling 3,000 acres, with new leases expected as the port expands.

With a more diverse and centrally located hub, shipped items would be cheaper for Florida consumers, who are now paying more money to have items shipped to them from other locations.

If the permitting process moves as planned, the port hopes the dredging project can begin by 2027-2028 with a completion date sometime in 2030.

Details of an expansion project could be made public when the port releases its revised 10-year master plan, expected sometime in 2025.