How to Navigate this Project Website
This project website is broken down into several tabs, as indicated above. Please read through the “Draft Master Plan Overview” to better understand how the Port of Palm Beach plans to shape its future. Review the “Project Background & Schedule”. Check out “Port Highlights & FAQs” for any port-centric information, along with frequently asked questions (FAQs) and responses. Learn how you can “Get Involved” throughout the phases of the master planning process. Lastly, review the results from Survey 2, beginning on "Survey 2: Initial Port Plan Layout".
Can't attend our hybrid public meetings? The meetings are recorded and available for viewing below.
Please read through the Draft Strategic Master Plan, provided below under "Available Presentations and Downloads". The Draft Plan will have an open comment period until July 27, 2023. Please email any feedback or comments to: planportofpalmbeach@publicinput.com.
Port Overview Video
The Port of Palm Beach is the fourth busiest container port in Florida, operating the nation's most efficient cargo throughput and creating more than 3,000 jobs. Watch this quick overview video to learn more about the Port!
Overview
The Port of Palm Beach is a full-service, diversified, landlord port, offering cruise and cargo services to more than 30 onsite tenants and users. At 165 acres, the Port’s efficiency is unparalleled and is an economic engine for the Palm Beach County and surrounding region. To continue to carry out the Port’s mission and operations into the future, the Port has prepared a complete update of its Strategic Master Plan. The purpose of the Plan is to:
- Evaluate future growth and economic development within the Port’s current footprint and explore opportunities to expand its boundaries.
- Implement a Capital Improvement Plan.
- Support inland intermodal logistics centers.
- Create the planning envelop consistent with the 2020 PIDP GRANT.
- Upgrade Intermodal and gate components.
- Expand general, container, bulk, and ro-ro cargo goods and cruise markets post-COVID.
- Engage with adjacent communities and project stakeholders.
- Continue awareness of sensitive natural resources.
- Maximize the Port’s partnership with FDOT and USDOT for additional state and federal funding.
- Comply with Florida Statutes and be consistent with the Palm Beach County Comprehensive Plan, Florida Department of Transportation Plan, and other local government goals and plans.
Five Main Tasks
There are five main tasks that guided the objectives for the Strategic Master Plan, including:
- Economic Development,
- Infrastructure Development and Improvement,
- Intermodal Transportation Facility,
- Physical, Environmental, & Regulatory Barriers, and
- Intergovernmental Coordination.
Facility Improvement Goals
Based on the results and input garnered from the five main tasks, alternative master plans were developed that included a phased approach to implementing port improvements in 0 to 5, 5 to 10, and 10-to-20 year increments. The facility improvement goals included the following:
- Improve rail connection
- Increase rail throughput capacity by increasing track lengths
- Improve switching capability between working and storage tracks
- Increase efficiency of arriving and departing rail cars and reduce rail crossing blockages
- Improve rail spur connections to tenants
- Improve area located west of Skypass to support waterside cargo operations
- Expand Port boundary
- Remove constraints and provide contiguous cargo storage area and operations
- Increase STRAD accessways under Skypass
- Improve site circulation
- Maximize active operational area east of Skypass
- Provide more storage staging and operational space for active cargo loading and unloading operations
- Improve cargo loading and unloading infrastructure and circulation area at berths
- Increase berth occupancy
- Widen Slip 2
- Develop offshore mooring berth
- Perform channel safety improvements
Alternative Master Plan Facility Improvements
The alternative master plan facility improvements provide the following benefits:
- Increased containerized cargo throughput by over 200% and on-dock railyard throughput by almost 400%
- Increased cargo throughput by:
- Contiguous storage areas
- Removal of infrastructure constraints
- Improved cargo access under Skypass
- Higher berth occupancy
- Improved operational safety through:
- Channel improvements,
- Improved site circulation in the backlands and at the berths,
- Reduction of vehicles on-terminal,
- Separation of containerized cargo operations from other tenant operations.
- Improved off-terminal traffic congestion through
- Railyard improvements increase the efficiently of railcar movement
- Result in a reduction of rail crossing blockages
- Additional truck gate processing technology and increased capability
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Available Presentations and Downloads
Below are links to download various project related posters, presentations, and graphic assets. We will continue to add to this archive as materials are prepared, refined, and released.