Panama City Port Authority plans to extend East Terminal berth

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) — Panama City Port Authority officials are excited for a new phase in their East Terminal Turning Base & Expansion project.

The terminal’s existing berth will be extended to accommodate the large vessels that frequent the port.

“We are finalizing a memorandum of agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers today, and we’ll be working with them over the planning period and permitting to get the project approved and move it to construction,” Panama City Port Authority Executive Director Alex King said.

The work will allow the East Terminal to accommodate larger vessels that frequent the port. It’s a key element for the Port Authority’s 2025 fiscal year planning. King said the berth extension is crucial to keep up with today’s shipping requirements.

“40 or 50 years ago, [the berth] could accommodate two ships. As ships have gotten larger, and our average size ship that we’re handling lengthwise at that terminal is in excess of 600 to 650 feet, you need two berths to be able to effectively handle more than one vessel at a time,” King said.

The extension will provide 1,500 feet of berthing, enabling two vessels to maneuver at the same time. King said the port is currently working on securing grants for the project, and the upgrade will bring more opportunity to the port.

“You’ll see more cargo opportunities that will be available to bring in more import cargo there, export cargo. We’ll also be shifting cargo here across town for more capacity here as well,” King said.

Construction won’t begin until 2027 at the earliest. The port is required to complete an environmental impact study before any changes are made.

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