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Shipper Adding New Vessels To Tampa Port Service

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By TED JACKOVICS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 7, 2008

TAMPA - The shipping company that provides weekly container cargo service between Tampa and China, Korea and Japan is phasing in 10 new and larger vessels that can carry up to 4,250 20-foot-equivalent containers, each of which can be hauled to and from local destinations much like a tractor-trailer.

"We are very pleased to see our partner Zim Integrated Shipping responding to customer demand by upgrading their Asia-Gulf Express service to Tampa with much larger vessels," Tampa port director Richard Wainio told more than 75 business people attending a distribuition center site selection workshop this afternoon.

Business analysts have cited Tampa's emerging international trade of high-value goods shipped in containers as a boost to the local economy and benefitting the commercial real estate market with increased demand for transportation and warehouse facilities.

In addition to larger container cargo ships, the port's terminal operator, Ports America, has purchased a new mobile crane to go into operation by December to augment the three giant gantry cranes at the container cargo site.

The port is extending the container cargo berth and expects to seek proposals for engineering services to expand the container cargo terminal from 40 acres, which will be achieved in a current expansion project, to 125 acres.

Reporter Ted Jackovics can be reached at (813) 259-7817 or tjackovics@tampatrib.com.

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