Port Tampa Bay holds annual hurricane exercise, improves reliability ahead of storm season

Port Tampa Bay preparing for hurricane season

Officials at Port Tampa Bay say they are entering hurricane season with stronger infrastructure and improved coordination, as they work to protect one of the state’s most critical fuel supply hubs at a time of heightened global attention on energy resources. FOX 13's Aaron Mesmer reports.

TAMPA, Fla. - Officials at Port Tampa Bay say they are entering hurricane season with stronger infrastructure and improved coordination, as they work to protect one of the state’s most critical fuel supply hubs at a time of heightened global attention on energy resources.

The port hosted its annual hurricane preparedness exercise Wednesday, bringing together maritime businesses, utility companies, and emergency partners from across the region.

Why you should care:

Port Tampa Bay plays a vital role in keeping fuel flowing across Florida, with leaders emphasizing just how dependent the state is on maritime deliveries.

Courtesy: Port Tampa Bay

"100% of the fuel for the state of Florida is coming by ship," said Paul Anderson, CEO of Port Tampa Bay, adding fuel arrives refined and ready for distribution, with shipments coming from across the Gulf Coast. "It's coming from the U.S., cross-Gulf, [including] Houston, Galveston, Louisiana.

Port officials say ensuring that the supply chain remains uninterrupted during a hurricane is a priority. 

Lessons learned

One of the biggest challenges during Hurricane Milton in 2024 was maintaining power to key facilities.

To address that, crews have been working to strengthen the port’s electrical infrastructure, including burying power lines to reduce the risk of outages.

Courtesy: Port Tampa Bay

"We're in the process of finalizing a project that connects underground power so that we have much more redundancy for the fuel supply," Anderson said.

What they're saying:

Officials say preparation requires constant coordination across agencies and industries that depend on the port.

"So we are all in this together, make sure that the port stays safe, make sure the people that live around the port are safe and secure, and ready to go for the next storm that could impact us," said Todd Barron, meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service.

Barron says planning starts long before a storm forms and continues through landfall.

"A lot of coordination, communication from whenever the storm is just a little cloud all the way till it's making landfall," Barron said.

What's next:

Port officials say they will continue refining their hurricane response plans and infrastructure improvements throughout the season, focusing on maintaining fuel operations even during severe weather.

Leaders also note that fuel supplies coming into Tampa Bay are largely sourced from within the Gulf region, which they say has helped insulate the area from potential disruptions tied to global conflicts, including tensions involving Iran.