- TAMPA, Fla. – Port Tampa Bay has secured a deal with Integral Energy to bring a new fueling station that will include compressed natural gas pumps, a convenience store and restaurant. This week, Port Tampa Bay’s Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the construction.

“Integral Energy’s facility is an exceptional fit for the Port,” said Port Tampa Bay President/CEO Paul Anderson. “Not only do we welcome clean fuel alternatives which are domestically produced, this station will support the thousands of trucks and growing number of service providers at the Port every day.”

The site at the southeast corner of Maritime and Causeway Boulevards will be open to both commercial and passenger vehicles, with four CNG pumps designed to service long-haul trucking, as well as plenty of surface parking for drivers wanting to refuel as well.

“As a company based here in Tampa, we couldn’t be happier to partner with the Port of Tampa Bay for this project,” said Anddrikk Frazier, President and CEO of Integral Energy. “This station will allow fleet vehicles to reliably and safely begin to shift to CNG knowing that fuel will be available and convenient. CNG is better for our planet as well as budgets, and we are here to help provide our city with a cleaner and cheaper way to transport goods from our Port.”

Compressed natural gas (CNG) is a clean fuel alternative to diesel and traditional oil-based gasoline. Natural gas is readily obtainable and CNG is created by compressing natural gas to less than one percent of its volume at standard atmospheric pressure. CNG is produced domestically from drilled natural gas wells or in combination with crude oil manufacturing.

The project will occupy 5.7 acres of land on Port property, and will also house a convenience store as well as a restaurant from yet to be determined vendors. Integral will make the unimproved site “construction ready,” and provide all site infrastructure including underground facilities and utility connections.

The initial term of the lease is 20 years, beginning April 1, 2018. The annual rent in the first year would be $142,500 and increase to $265,000 in the second year. This agreement with Integral Energy is one of several deals approved by the Port Tampa Bay Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, resulting in $885,590 of new revenue during the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2018.