12,000-Foot Structure to House Emergency Response Vehicles and Equipment
By Simon West
Port Tampa Bay in Florida has unveiled a heavy-weather protection building to house emergency response vehicles and other essential assets deployed during “high magnitude” natural disasters.
The new 12,000-foot structure will protect a command vehicle, trucks, a survey vessel equipped with 3D scanner technology for identifying blockages in navigation, and other critically valuable equipment used to ensure a rapid response in the face of severe weather events such as the Category 5 Hurricane Ian that struck Florida last September.
The hardened facility, in its final stages of completion, has been designed to withstand high-level storms that can generate wind loads of up to 189 miles per hour – similar to the ferocity of Hurricane Ian.
“As Florida’s most diverse port, it’s essential we ensure our region’s mission critical operations even in times of disaster,” said Paul Anderson, president and CEO of Port Tampa Bay. “By protecting these assets, we help our community have peace of mind that our essential services, like fuel, will remain available in times of need. With this added security, we improve our capacity for a prompt response and recovery following a devastating storm or hurricane.”
Although Port Tampa Bay avoided a “direct hit” from Hurricane Ian – one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the US – port authorities took no risks, closing waterways and securing cranes and other structures for several days in anticipation of its arrival.
A spokesperson for the port told Breakbulk that plans for the heavy-weather building were already underway prior to Hurricane Ian and were part of the port’s “laser-focus on resiliency and preparedness”.
Port Tampa Bay’s preparations also include a “Hurricane Exercise” carried out every year to refine and improve the facility’s response to a severe storm. Hundreds of port staff, partners and emergency responders take part in the initiative.
“Following the exercise, Port Tampa Bay leaders solidify the planning and execution of all scenarios, along with other agencies and local leaders,” the spokesperson said.
“Given our port’s strategic significance in the petroleum supply chain throughout central Florida, the focus on resuming operations post-storm is incredibly critical. Port Tampa Bay is keenly aware of the dense network of businesses, public entities, and residents that rely on us for necessities like fuel.”
Port Tampa Bay is Florida’s largest in terms of cargo tonnage, handling some 33 million tons per year, and billed as one of the most diversified in the US. The facility is a key hub for steel products and an expanding gateway for forest products and other breakbulk cargo.
Port Tampa Bay will be exhibiting at Breakbulk Americas 2023, taking place on 26-28 September at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas.
