After a little over eighteen months since the devastating damage from Hurricane Michael, there’s new hope for the future of Port St. Joe’s beloved marina. On Thursday, April 30th, St. Joe Company-Owners and Developers of the marina, announced new plans for the marina’s future. The first phase of construction will be for the new dry boat storage facility that will be 63,200 square feet with 252 dry boat slips that will be available for lease. The dry boat storage will be able to accommodate boats up to 45 feet in length. Construction on the dry boat storage is set for May with a goal to be complete before the end of 2020. Planning and permitting is also underway for construction of about 48 wet slips, and marina store, and other amenities. St. Joe Company has also mentioned a prospective plan to construct a small hotel nearby–more on that to come at a later date. Residents and travelers have long awaited the reconstruction of the St. Joe Marina and it will be a welcome amenity back to the historic coastal town.
Having a new deep water Port in the heart of Port St. Joe has been a topic talked about for a long time. Up until now, very little has been released on what that new Port site would look like. More information can now be found by visiting www.portofportstjoe.com.
“With numerous assets, the Port of Port St. Joe is poised for development and expansion. It is one of 15 state-designated ports within the state of Florida and one of only three ports along North Florida’s Gulf Coast. With the expansion of the Panama Canal and the inception of PostPanamax shipping, some non-competitive freight handling operations currently at larger ports are expected to shift to smaller ports, especially to those that have shorter ship-to-market routes. With a direct route north from the Panama Canal, the Port of Port St. Joe is a perfect candidate.
STRATEGIC LOCATION
-State-designated deepwater port in the sheltered waters of St. Joseph Bay. -Federally approved navigational channel depths between 35 feet and 37 feet; federally approved turning basin and harbor channel depths between 32 feet and 35 feet. -1,900 linear feet of existing deepwater bulkhead with potential expansion 5,500 linear feet. -Offers direct access to the U.S. Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. -Offers convenient rail and interstate access. -One of only three state-designated ports along North Florida’s Gulf Coast.
UNIQUE ASSETS:
-The Port is adjacent to more than 5,000 acres of undeveloped land. This vast acreage offers a blank canvas for maritime-related and spin-off businesses not available at land-constrained ports elsewhere. -The Port’s canal site offers niche maritime opportunities for regional uses. -As many Florida ports focus on containerized cargoes, the Port of Port St. Joe can service bulk cargoes and other commodities. -With the expansion of the Panama Canal and inception of Post-Panamax shipping, some non-competitive freight handling operations at larger seaports are expected to shift to smaller ports, especially those locations with shorter ship-to-market routes. -Opportunities exist to attract and stimulate new green industries. -The Port and surrounding area are a state-designated Enterprise Zone. The 180 acres surrounding the bayfront bulkhead is designated as a Brownfield. -Natural gas 50,000 MMGtu/d
CONVENIENT ACCESS:
WATER -The Port offers barge access to inland rivers and waterways system (U.S.) Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, channel 12’x125’). -The Gulf County Canal connects the Gulf of Mexico with the U.S. Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, which traverses the Gulf Coast of the United States. This navigable inland waterway runs approximately 1,050 miles from Carrabelle, Fla., to Brownsville, Texas, and provides access via the inland river system to locations as diverse as Chicago, Pittsburgh, Memphis, Tulsa and other cities. RAIL -AN Railway, a subsidiary of Genesee Wyoming, provides rail service to the Port and connects with the CSX Transportation Class I mainline. INTERSTATE AND AIR -Direct access to I-10 via SR-71. -Only 21 miles to Apalachicola Regional Airport via U.S. Highway 98. -57 miles to the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport in Panama City Beach.
INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES: In February 2012 The St. Joe Company and the Port St. Joe Port Authority executed a Memorandum of Understanding to partner and collaborate on port-related economic development initiatives. St. Joe, in conjunction with the Port St. Joe Port Authority, is open to a full range of public-private partnerships such as joint ventures, terminal operating leases and individual carrier or cargo-handling investments as well as the use of revenue bonds, equity funds, and other investment opportunities. Projects on the Port could be accelerated with private sector investments to match potential public sector grants. Some properties in the more than 5,000 acres of undeveloped lands in the Port environs are available for immediate port development.”
