The project consists of completing nepa reviews project permitting, and engineering design work for five of the ports operational berths berths 06 07 08 10 and 11 that need to be fully reconstructed

The Department of Transportation Maritime Administration awarded $12,993,824 to Manatee County Port Authority on March 25, 2026, under the Port Infrastructure Development Program (CFDA 20.823) for NEPA compliance documentation, pre-engineering studies, permitting, and engineering design work for port berth reconstruction and deepening planning.

The award funds four elements of work performed at the port in Palmetto, Florida. Element 1 comprises preparation of draft and final National Environmental Policy Act review documents for berth construction projects. Element 2 includes pre-engineering studies and analysis for berths 06, 07, 08, 10, and 11, encompassing baseline structural assessment, geotechnical evaluation, as-built review, underwater inspections, subsurface utility engineering review, mooring and bollard analysis, conceptual structural design, metocean study, mooring and berthing analysis, stormwater analysis, and updated port-wide dock load limit and bollard capacity maps for berths 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, and 14. Element 2 work will support navigation analysis or simulation with Tampa Harbor Pilots and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as warranted. Element 3 covers completion of all required local, state, and federal permitting for construction start, with time-dependent permitting staggered to align with construction scheduling. Element 4 focuses on engineering and design work for berth 06, including apron extension and related considerations.

Period of performance runs through September 30, 2031.

The project also includes design for TOE walls or similar structures at other berths berths 04 05 09 12 and 14 to accommodate future port wide deepening activities. Activities to be performed the project will be completed in one component with the following elements element 1 federal national environmental policy act nepa review prepare the appropriate draft and final documents to achieve the policies and goals established by nepa and related regulations for berth construction projects. Element 2 pre engineering studies engineering analysis and survey of berths 06 07 08 10 and 11. Establish baseline structural conditions evaluate geotechnical conditions compile and review as builts conduct subwater inspections conduct subsurface utility engineering review existing mooring and bollard analysis prepare a survey prepare conceptual structural designs EG bulkhead pile supported etc and related costs estimates prepare metocean study prepare mooring and berthing analysis prepare stormwater analysis and prepare updated port wide maps of dock load limits and bollard capacities for berths 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 and 14. Documents will be used for permitting engineering design and informing the order of dock rebuilds. Coordinate with tampa harbor pilots and US army corps of engineers to conduct a navigation analysis or simulation of proposed designs if warranted. Element 3 permitting complete all required local state and federal permitting required to start construction. Time dependent permitting for individual berths or portion of berths may be staggered to complement corresponding construction scheduling. Element 4 berth 06 engineering engineering and design elements and considerations include extending the apron by approximately 265 feet from its current 412 foot length to connect with berth 07 and extending another approximately 97 feet toward the west to align with the southwest corner of berth 05. Additional considerations new fuel pits new shore utility connections EG water electric base infrastructure for bulk cargo loading or unloading equipment and ability to handle mobile harbor crane loading. Element 5 berth 07 engineering engineering and design elements and considerations include new fuel pits new shore utility connections EG water electric ability to handle mobile harbor crane loading base infrastructure for bulk cargo loading or unloading equipment and new pits pumps and underground lines for pneumatic ship unloaders. Element 6 berth 08 engineering engineering and design elements and considerations include additional considerations new fuel pits new shore utility connections EG water electric ability to handle mobile harbor crane loading new pits pumps and underground lines for pneumatic ship unloaders and new roro ramp. Element 7 berth 10 and 11 engineering engineering and design elements and considerations include extension of berth 10 to the west by approximately 410 feet reconfiguring berth 11 along the same alignment as the extended berth 10 to the north and berths 12 and 14 to the south to provide approximately 2160 feet of continuous southward marginal wharf. Additional considerations: new fuel pits or similar structures on berths 10 and 11 new shore utility connections EG water electric and ability to handle mobile harbor crane loading. Element 8 design TOE walls engineering and design elements and considerations include design for TOE walls or similar structures at berths 04 05 09 12 and 14 to accommodate future port wide deepening activities EG from the current authorized depth of 40 feet 1 foot over depth to a depth of 50 feet 2 feet over depth. Deliverables expected outcomes there are no prescribed performance measures for this grant. Intended beneficiary manatee county port authority subrecipient activities none.