- TAMPA, Fla.— Port Tampa Bay and new tenant Port Logistics Refrigerated Services co-hosted a brief on-site ceremony to commemorate another milestone in the construction of a new, state-of-the-art cold storage facility that will elevate the state’s largest port’s capabilities for refrigerated import/export cargo handling capacity. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam addressed about 100 attendees that included logistics service providers, port executives, and regional economic development leaders.

Scheduled to open in the summer of 2017, the new facility will have over 9000 pallet positions to accommodate both chilled and frozen products, with food-grade glycol refrigerant used throughout the warehouse, and will include 96 refrigerated container plugs, as well as onsite USDA/CBP inspection and fumigation services.   The construction site is located on a 13.7-acre site adjacent to Berth 219, and is designed to handle palletized breakbulk cargo, as well as refrigerated containers.  

Port Logistics Refrigerated Services management has extensive expertise in all aspects of stevedoring, warehousing and terminal operations.  The facility will be served with a dedicated Gottwald mobile harbor crane. As announced in October 2016, well-known Tampa developer Richard Corbett has partnered in the financing of the project on behalf of Port Logistics Refrigerated Services.  Corbett is recognized for the development of the International Plaza retail center in Tampa’s Westshore business district, as well as numerous office and retail centers throughout Florida and the U.S.

“On behalf of the board and staff of Port Tampa Bay, we are extremely pleased to see the partnership and construction of this project that is important to the development and future of our port, that will create jobs and augment the diversity of the state’s largest port,” Paul Anderson, port president and CEO, said. “We appreciate the backing and support of this milestone for the port and the shared strategic focus on creating a high level of service as we move forward.”

The Tampa Bay/Orlando I-4 Corridor is Florida’s largest and fastest growing market and has the largest concentration of distribution centers in the State.  The region is located at the heart of Florida's agriculture industry, and is home to the State's largest cluster for the food and beverage sector, with leading brands such as Publix, Sysco's International Food Group, Gordon Food Service, Walmart/Sam's Club, Winn-Dixie, Trader-Joes, Save-a-lot, Aldi, United Natural Foods, Vigo/Alessi, Goya, Mario Camacho, Southern Wine & Spirits, Break-Thru Beverage, Coca Cola/Minute Maid, Pepsico/Tropicana, Cutrale, Florida's Natural, Citrus World, Wish Farms, Tampa Juice, Bama Sea Products, Tampa Bay Fisheries, etc. all with a significant presence in the area.