Port Everglades Lands $30.75 Million Federal Grant for Fuel Slip Expansion

Port Everglades has received $30.75 million from the Maritime Administration's Port Infrastructure Development Program, money that will underwrite the first phase of a $184.5 million project to widen and deepen its principal fuel slip.

The grant, part of a $498 million federal package spread across 35 projects in 19 states, covers the port's full funding request for the Slip 1 Expansion Project. Broward County's seaport said the award will fund the relocation of a structural bulkhead and the widening of the slip to 450 feet.

The engineering change matters commercially. A 450-foot slip allows Port Everglades to berth Aframax-class tankers (mid-size crude and fuel carriers of roughly 70,000–120,000 deadweight tons), vessels that are significantly larger and more economical per barrel moved than the ships the slip currently handles. Fuel throughput at the port supports South Florida's gasoline, jet fuel and diesel supply, and keeping those operations running during severe weather is part of the project's stated rationale.

What does the federal investment cover?

The PIDP money flows through MARAD, an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said: "The strength of our nation's economy is directly tied to the state of our ports."

"This nearly half-billion-dollar investment will deliver critical upgrades to ports across America so we can enhance supply chains, lower shipping costs, and create good-paying jobs for hardworking Americans. Under President Trump, America's maritime dominance is coming back stronger than ever," Duffy said.

For Port Everglades, the $30.75 million represents roughly one-sixth of the total public-private project cost of $184.5 million. The remainder will come from the port and county budgets plus private partners, though the press release did not break down the split.

Who is building what, and when?

Construction follows the port's strategic Master/Vision Plan. Phase 1 is scheduled to begin in 2028, with the full program projected to take three to four years to complete. That timeline places operational capacity gains for larger tankers in the early 2030s.

Port Everglades CEO and Port Director Joseph Morris tied the project to both state and global positioning. "The port is greatly appreciative to have received our full funding request for the Slip 1 Expansion Project," Morris said. "The Broward County Board of County Commissioners and the port remain committed to ensuring our energy dominance in Florida and globally as part of the port's strategic Master/Vision Plan."

Why the fuel slip matters to cruise and cargo sellers

Port Everglades ranks among the world's three busiest cruise homeports and serves as a gateway for international trade, according to the port's release. The fuel operation and the cruise business share the same harbor infrastructure, and jet fuel supply delivered through the slip directly supports the airport and airline traffic that feeds South Florida's visitor economy.

The expansion's stated goals are resilience and safety: maintaining critical fuel operations during severe weather, a relevant consideration for a Florida port exposed to hurricane-season disruption. Larger vessels also mean fewer calls for equivalent cargo volume, which the port frames as an efficiency gain for energy distribution in the region.

With federal funding secured and construction three years out, the port's next steps are completing design and lining up the remaining roughly $153.75 million in public-private financing before the 2028 Phase 1 start.