A century of maritime excellence
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
GULF COAST TRADE AND LOGISTICS
project cargo as supply chains evolve and cargo owners seek reliable, flexible gateways,” Alfonso said.
Tampa expects a steady year, driven by improving financial conditions, increased building and construction activity, and Florida’ s sustained population and economic growth, which will support cargo volumes across multiple sectors.
Tariff policies remain a primary concern for Gulf Coast ports, and import and export patterns, sourcing decisions, and cargo volumes tied to these shifts are continuously monitored.
“ Like ports across the country, Port Tampa Bay closely monitors trade policy developments and their potential impacts,” Alfonso said.“ At this point, the port isn’ t seeing dramatic shifts tied to any single policy change, but shippers and cargo owners remain cautious and adaptive.”
The port’ s diversified cargo base helps mitigate volatility.
“ Rather than being dependent on a single commodity or trade lane, the port supports a wide range of industries and cargo types, allowing it to remain stable even as sourcing strategies evolve,” Alfonso said.
Continued focus on infrastructure investments
Infrastructure investment has continued to allowed Gulf ports to position themselves for future growth and support surrounding communities.
Port Freeport’ s primary strategic goals include deepening and widening the Freeport Harbor Channel; building out its container and cargo-handling facilities; and developing rail-served warehousing, processing and distribution facilities.
“ Over $ 650 million has been invested in the channel, terminal improvements and supporting infrastructure,” Saathoff said.
The port also supports the development of an efficient transportation corridor from Freeport to Texas markets and the center of the United States.
“ This falls on the state’ s shoulders, and Texas has already recognized Port Freeport’ s importance to the region and the nation,” Saathoff said.“ These objectives continue to progress in tandem, and all are critical to the growth of Port Freeport and the profound positive economic impacts that it creates for Texas and the US.”
Port Tampa Bay continues to invest in specific waterside and landside infrastructure to support its longterm growth, safety and operational efficiency. A key focus has been channel deepening, thereby improving navigational efficiency and supporting a broader range of vessel calls across energy, bulk, breakbulk and containerized cargoes.
The port’ s capital program also includes expanding the container terminal, extending berths, and acquiring two super-post-Panamax gantry cranes in 2026 to support larger vessels and future cargo growth.
“ In partnership with private-sector operators, Port Tampa Bay is developing additional covered warehouse space, paving yard areas for automobile storage, filling land for future terminal development and pursuing the acquisition of additional terminal facilities,” Alfonso said.
To complement these efforts, landside roadway and gate improvements will streamline truck movement and improve cargo flow between terminals and regional transportation networks.
“ Together, these investments reflect a deliberate approach to infrastructure development that strengthens capacity
A century of maritime excellence
Ranked the 15th largest port in the nation based on foreign waterborne tonnage and 5th in Texas by the same measure, Port Freeport is making waves on the Gulf Coast. The port has over 300 acres of land adjacent to the terminal and immediately available for development, is easily accessed via major highways and rail, and has the shortest— and soon to be deepest— channel on the Texas Coast.
Known for reliable and flexible customer service, Port Freeport has experienced significant growth in recent years and is undertaking strategic initiatives to provide customers with competitive expansion options while creating jobs, serving as a leading economic catalyst for the region and the state. The primary initiative is the Freeport Harbor Channel Improvement Project, which will deepen and partially widen the channel to depths ranging from 51 feet to 56 feet MLLW. The project is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2026.
Port Freeport serves the port community through state-of-theart infrastructure, including a deep-water container terminal, a rail-served multimodal terminal, quick and efficient connections to the state highway system, access to the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, rail service provided by Union Pacific, and Foreign Trade Zone No. 149. Velasco Container Terminal is a multipurpose terminal with over 1,700 linear feet of deepwater berth, two post-Panamax gantry cranes, two super-post-Panamax gantry cranes. Port Freeport’ s public facilities serve container, roll-on / roll-off, multipurpose and bulk vessels.
In 2025, a new 80,000-square-foot refrigerated cross-dock warehouse adjacent to the container terminal was completed, and Del Monte Fresh Produce now occupies and operates out of the cross-dock with 50 % of the facility available for use. In 2027, crossdock No. 2 will be available, and will offer refrigerated transloading, cold storage, quick freezing and US Customs and Border Protection agricultural inspections.
There are more than $ 325 million in infrastructure projects underway at Port Freeport to accommodate larger vessels, increase maritime commerce and generate positive economic impacts. n
For more information about Port Freeport, please visit portfreeport. com.
44 Journal of Commerce | February 2, 2026 www. joc. com