Port Panama City receives $11.25 million federal grant

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration just awarded Port Panama City an $11.25 million grant for its East Terminal Expansion Project.

The money will go toward a new 200,000 sq. ft. on-dock warehouse.

“It’s amazing to see that, to see that money come into Bay County and into Panama City to grow this port,” Port Panama City Executive Director Alex King said.

Port officials applied for it in the spring of this year. King said it took a village to make it all possible.

“You look at what went into securing that grant,” King said. “Having the vision and the foresight to plan for increased port capacity here. When you’re planning port capacity projects, it takes a long time.”

The East Terminal plays a key role in the port’s long-term success and growth. King said the warehouse will only add to that goal.

“This has the opportunity to create over 330 new jobs in the port industry, the maritime industry, those service-provider industries in Bay County, Northwest Florida, and beyond,” he said. “As I expand on that, you look at not only the Port Authority employees, but as I mentioned the stevedores, the tug companies, the pilots will have more activity. The railroad will have more business opportunities, truck lines.”

U.S. DOT officials told NewsChannel 7 the warehouse will be safe for employees.

“There’s a covered loading dock, which means that the workers who are there won’t have to weather the rain and the wind as they move things onto rail,” Carlos Monje Jr., Under Secretary at U.S. DOT, said.

It’s a vision that will soon become a reality.

Port officials said the project will generate $2.7 million in state and local taxes. They also said it will create 337 jobs and $30 million in personal income and local consumption. The warehouse should be completed by late 2025 or in 2026.

King said Port Panama City was also the only Florida port to be awarded a grant from this cycle of the Port Infrastructure Development Program.

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