Florida officials are readying the state for an influx in supertankers when the expansion of the Panama Canal is completed in 2014. Ports are being dredged to accommodate larger vessels and more efficient ways to move the containers that come off those ships are also being developed.
At a meeting Wednesday in Fort Myers, Brian Blanchard with the Florida Department of Transportation said the state’s investment in infrastructure, like additional freight rail lines, would promote commerce.
“It’s a return on investment,” he said. “You look at what the needs are, what the return on investment is and that’s how you prioritize your investments statewide, whether it’s seaports, rail or highways.”
Blanchard, who is with DOT’s Office of Freight Logistics and Passenger Operation, said a final report on ways to support movement of freight from deepened ports is due next July.
The final public hearing is in Tampa on September 11.
