Port Authority Approves Bid for Berth 12 at Port Manatee

BRADENTON -- The Board unanimously approved contractor Great Lakes Dredging and Dock for the bargain price of $14.8 million after a month of advertising. The dredging will commence by mid-late fall.

“Nothing matters until we show the world that we have started dredging,” said Commissioner Carol Whitmore.

In April the commission rejected a bid for $17.1 million because they wanted to extend opportunities for savings by advertising to attract economical contractors. Their hesitation paid off when the best price out of only 2 bidders saved over $2.3 million --14 percent less than the original. The winning proposal includes the base bid and bid alternate, representing 1.1 million cubic yards of excavation and removal by hydraulic dredge to a certified upland spoil disposal site.

Port Manatee

“Port staff’s many years in dealing with dredging issues made us confident that a more favorable outcome was probable by re-bidding the project,” said David L. McDonald, Port Manatee’s executive director. “The savings provided by the lower bid creates a more certain timeline for the project’s completion.”

Port Manatee is the closest U. S. deepwater seaport to the Panama Canal. In 2014 standard ship size will be benchmarked based on the Panama Canal expansion project – berth 12 will accommodate these larger vessels.  The project will extend the canal from 1,000 ft to 1,584 ft, widen it and excavate depth from a 20 to 40 foot draft.

“We are extending Berth 12 to allow for more commercial opportunity,” said Commissioner Whitmore. “We have to be professionally ready for the extension of the Panama Canal. Now that we have two cranes we are in the competition.”

This approval is the final piece of Port Manatee’s 11-year, $200 million port expansion project. The venture includes a planned 52-acre container terminal that sits adjacent to the berth as well as a port improvement district aimed at attracting new businesses. The last major milestone was the purchase of a second harbor crane for containers.

The 460-ton crane is being assembled onsite by its sister crane – which is credited with jump starting port evolution in 2008. Both were acquired as a result of a public private partnership between the MCPA and Logistec USA Inc. The port’s half comes from state transportation grants.

Though the board was eager to get the dredging going, they weren’t as keen to spend money on advertising, leaning toward a "if you build it they will come" mentality. They extended the marketing plan  -- it will be on the Aug 19 agenda.

“This is the day we have been waiting for,” said Commissioner Joe McClash. “This motion (for the dredging go-ahead) is the biggest form of marketing we could have.”