SeaPort Manatee – located in Tampa Bay, FL – recently received $9.5 million in state funding to jumpstart its recovery and help repair significant infrastructure damage caused by Hurricane Milton.
[Above photo by SeaPort Manatee]
It is the primary deep-water seaport in Southwest Florida; receiving fuel, fruits and vegetables, appliances, construction materials, and wood for distribution across Southwest Florida and the greater Southeastern region of the United States.
Following Hurricane Milton, initial damage assessments indicated potential losses of $225 million at SeaPort Manatee, with that damage including the loss of 10 out of 13 on-site warehouses, three of the 10 port-owned docking facilities, and widespread damage to port offices.
“This action to get SeaPort Manatee back to full operations will benefit the people of Florida, ensure the hardening of our infrastructure for future disasters, and ensure normal life is resumed for Floridians as soon as possible,” said Governor Ron DeSantis (R) in a statement. “Taking action to address these impacts now is imperative to keep Florida on the road to recovery.”
Additionally, the governor directed several state agencies – including the Florida Department of Transportation – to step in and assist the port to expedite recovery efforts.
The Florida DOT will provide subject matter experts and skilled workers to help with port infrastructure repairs, while the Florida Department of Environmental Protection will expedite all permits for the immediate rebuild of port infrastructure and the Florida Division of Emergency Management will provide support in navigating the Federal Emergency Management Agency process.
The Florida National Guard will also provide personnel to reestablish perimeter security and assist in repairing the port’s fence, the governor’s office noted.
“With the major impact that seaports have on our state’s economy and the quality of life for our residents, it’s critical that we ensure our seaports are open and fully operational, particularly SeaPort Manatee given the significant damage they sustained following Hurricane Milton,” noted Jared Perdue, Florida DOT secretary.
In terms of its broader efforts to help Florida recover from Hurricane Milton, Florida DOT has had, to date, over 2,000 team members working directly on storm response and has established a field crew base camp in Seffner to be centrally located for emergency response and recovery efforts.
The agency has also shifted its recovery efforts towards debris pickup on state roads. Currently, Florida DOT crews have picked up over 7,200 cubic yards of debris while “cut and toss” operations on state-owned facilities are complete, except for inaccessible areas or roadways with hazards.
Meanwhile, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development deployed 53 personnel and 84 pieces of equipment from six different districts across the state on October 16 to aid Florida with its hurricane recovery operations.
The agency said it has organized its personnel into crews comprised of eight to nine members who will be conducting debris removal operations in the heavily impacted counties of Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, and Sarasota.
“As our neighbors to the east continue to grapple with the aftermath of these devastating hurricanes, the Louisiana DOTD is proud to lend a hand and provide critical support to the Florida DOT,” said Joe Donahue, Louisiana DOTD secretary, in a statement. “Our crews are well-prepared and committed to helping restore normalcy to these affected communities.”
He added that his agency’s hurricane recovery crews will be based out of the Milton Base Camp and will stay for the next 14 days to support Florida’s recovery efforts.
States
State DOTs Continue Hurricane Helene Recovery Efforts
October 18, 2024
States
