TAMPA, FL — While politicians, environmentalists and motorists argue about offshore drilling along Florida’s coast, Tampa has become a leading national port for processing and distributing petroleum products.
The Port of Tampa is about to become even bigger in the fuel distribution business. According to a statement released by the Port Authority commissioners approved, “a contract that promises years of petroleum and biofuels imports and, importantly, creates jobs.”
According to the new contract, , (a private company) will lease 43 acres of land from the Tampa Port Authority on Hooker’s Point, where the company will develop facilities for the receiving, loading, blending, storage and distribution of import petroleum products, such as oil and gas, and biofuels…(t)he new terminal will include at least $70 million in the building of terminal infrastructure, such as petroleum storage tanks, pumps, loading track, warehouse, office and laboratory, as well as all land improvements.”
The contract goes on to say, “The terminal will include 15 to 25 tanks with a combined capacity of 1.1 million barrels of product. The completed facility is expected to create around 50 full-time jobs. The leasehold arrangement is for 40 years, with two 20-year lease extension options.”