Port Tampa Bay

Port Tampa Bay has solidified its position as Florida’s new supply chain solution with the addition of many new container shipping services, a game changer for the state’s logistics landscape. With multiple container shipping options and Tampa’s central proximity in the state, the port provides significant supply chain efficiencies and cost savings to importers and exporters serving the rapidly growing Florida market from the state’s distribution hub—which encompasses the I-4 Corridor as well as the burgeoning DC development along I-75 around Tampa.

The recent expansion of container services from Asia, Central America, and South America, including the new Cartagena-Tampa America Shuttle 2 operated by Maersk and Hapag Lloyd, has been critical in serving Florida’s largest and fastest-growing market. Home to the State’s largest concentration of distribution centers, the Central Florida region has over 550 million square feet of DC space right in Port Tampa Bay’s backyard. The port continues to see double-digit growth in containerized cargo, with more opportunities on the way with trade expansion in Latin America.

Get Closer to Customers 

This region is also one of the hottest industrial real estate markets in the country and Florida’s hub for distribution, logistics, and manufacturing. Florida now has the 15th largest economy in the world and is the fastest-growing state in the country. Home to nearly half of the state’s 23 million residents and welcoming a majority of the 143 million visitors each year, the Central Florida region is also the fastest-growing part of the state.

In fact, three Tampa Bay counties, Polk, Hillsborough, and Pasco are among the fastest growing in the country.  Port Tampa Bay is no longer Florida’s best-kept logistics secret—it’s the state’s most strategic, cost-effective container gateway. Serving the Tampa/Orlando I-4 and I -75 Corridor—Florida’s industrial engine and home to over 400 distribution centers—PTB offers unmatched inland cost savings, multi-directional access, and scalable infrastructure.

Beneficial cargo owners are seeing significant savings in their drayage and distribution costs as truckers make as many as 3 to 4 round trip deliveries per day from Port Tampa Bay to their DCs.  Customers also benefit from attractive northbound backhaul truck rates to extend their reach into markets throughout the Southeast and beyond.

Growth to Meet Demand

Port Tampa Bay, along with container terminal operator Ports America, has accommodated the growth in Florida by staying ahead of the curve thanks to our terminal build-out program. Recent expansion includes a new container gate complex, additional container storage area to reach 100 acres, and two new post-Panamax cranes on order to accompany the existing four (4) STS post-Panamax cranes. Additionally, construction has commenced to extend the berth from 3,200 to 4,500 linear feet. The state of Florida strongly supports its ports, and Tampa Bay offers the best long-term growth potential due to its available land and strategic location.