Port Tampa Bay gets federal funds to begin critical dredging project

TAMPA, Fla. - Port Tampa Bay is considered a lifeline for Tampa Bay, given that most of the area's fuel and construction materials are delivered through the port.

Rep. Kathy Castor announced the port is getting a $10 million grant to begin phase one of a dredging project that will deepen the channel from 43 feet to 47 feet.

It's being supported by two separate federal funding pieces, including $3 million delivered Thursday by Castor.

What they're saying:

"All you have to do is take yourself back to the days after the floods of Hurricane Helene, where it washed out the channel markers and the big tankers could not get into the port and so fuel supplies were constrained," said Castor. "I never thought I would see police officers guarding gas stations with weapons because the fuel supply was so constrained. So that's something just front of mind for everyone in the area on how vital the operations here at Port Tampa Bay are."

Allowing larger ships to pass through is critical to Tampa Bay's supplies, including fuel for cars, airplanes, construction materials and other consumer goods.

"Ships that would not be able to service our region because they are restricted," said the port's vice president, Raul Alfonso. "If that happens, then the region will need to depend on other ports far away for supply chains, adding cost and impacting negatively to the economic impact of the region."

Dig deeper:

The port provides 43 percent of the gas and jet fuel to the entire state, and officials expect that to grow.

The cruise ships are also considered essential to Channelside and the economy of downtown Tampa, bringing thousands of people a week.

The entire cost of the dredging is expected to be nearly $1.5 billion,

There are six phases to the project, and they will take a long time, with construction expected to be finished in 2034.