“[W]e have been awarded the exclusive opportunity to negotiate a lease agreement with the Port over the next 90 days,” explained Magellan spokesman Bruce Heine. That includes plans to build a 1.68-million bbl oil and products
terminal that would initially include some 340,000 bbl of renewable fuels storage. Up to 840,000 bbl of refined product capacity may subsequently be converted to store ethanol.
Ethanol deliveries to the planned terminal will arrive only via vessel or barge delivery, said Magellan. The company made a point of noting there would be no ethanol truck delivery, since local traffic congestion in the Port Everglades/Fort Lauderdale area was a concern.
However, there will be new truck tracks that will enable direct supply of renewable fuels to local markets, which Magellan said would allow for new marketers to distribute fuel.
The company also touted the addition of port-wide transfer capabilities.
Expanded transfer capability will permit the sharing of bulk ethanol shipments with other terminals located at Port Everglades.
If Magellan finalizes the agreement, the plan calls for it to raze the existing World War II-era terminal on the Port Everglades site and build a brand-new $80 million facility. Construction could start before the end of summer and is expected to take 36-42 months.
Initially, along with 340,000 bbl of ethanol storage, the new terminal plans include 510,000 bbl for regular gasoline, 80,000 bbl for premium gasoline, some 250,000 bbl devoted to ultra-low-sulfur diesel and 500,000 bbl for bunker fuel.