SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

GULF COAST TRADE AND LOGISTICS

Port Tampa Bay

As Florida’ s largest and most cargodiverse seaport, Port Tampa Bay serves as a critical gateway for global trade and travel. Strategically located on Florida’ s west coast, the port spans more than 5,000 acres and provides efficient access to Florida’ s largest consumer market and the broader Southeast.

A top 10 US cruise port, Port Tampa Bay welcomes more than 1 million cruise passengers annually while handling a wide range of cargo, including bulk, breakbulk, containers, refrigerated goods and roll-on / roll-off freight. The port is also a major center for shipbuilding and repair.

As a powerful economic engine for the region and the state, Port Tampa Bay supports more than 192,000 jobs and generates approximately $ 34 billion in annual economic impact, advancing Florida’ s growth across maritime, logistics, manufacturing, energy, construction and tourism sectors.. n

By Nicole Rollender

The Gulf Coast plays a critical role in the natural gas and liquefied natural gas( LNG) trade. Ports, including Port Freeport and Port Tampa Bay, are actively working to support energy exports and related project cargo, bolstering the local economy.

Of the eight LNG export facilities operating in the US, Freeport LNG is a public-private partnership first developed as a regasification facility.

“ With the shale oil and gas boom and the abundance of low-cost natural gas, the terminal was re-permitted to become an export facility,” said Phyllis Saathoff, executive director and CEO of Port Freeport.“ Freeport LNG has three product trains capable of processing 2.38 billion cubic feet per day and recently celebrated loading its 1,000th export cargo.”

Throughout Port Freeport’ s 2025 fiscal year, Freeport LNG exported 17,218,133 short tons of LNG over 225 vessels. Between 2016 and 2019, manufacturing plants along the Freeport Harbor Channel and close to the port underwent large-scale expansions.

“ Port Freeport handled the lion’ s share of the project cargo for these expansions and continues to receive significant

46 Journal of Commerce | February 2, 2026 www. joc. com