§ 4.2.7. Berth Utilization

The berth utilization analysis provided in Chapter 2 of this Plan reveals that none of the Port's existing 10 berths exceed the recommended high berth occupancy rate of 75 percent. From 2011 through 2013, however, berth occupancy at Berths 9 and 10 reached the 80 percent level, but has since decreased to 41 percent, partly attributable to the opening of Berth 14 in 2014 and the decline in bunker oil imports. Commodity forecasts prepared for the Plan show that this decline in bunker oil is expected to be offset by the importation of gasoline from U.S. Gulf Coast refineries to serve the growing Southwest Florida markets. According to the forecast, gasoline imports will exceed volumes handled in 2011 through 2013. Since Berths 9 and 10 will handle this commodity, it is likely that these two berths will experience congestion.

The berth utilization analysis that was subsequently conducted for the Port's future operations took into account the following factors and assumptions related to overall Port forecasts, including gasoline:

• Average tons per vessel call.

• Average vessel hours at berth.

• Tonnage throughput assigned to relevant berths.

• Window of Port operations (365 days per year, 24 hours per day).

• General cargo and dry bulk commodities will continue to be handled at multiple berths at existing productivity levels of the Port's existing cargo-handling equipment.

Inclusive of two new berths coming on line (Berths 2 and 3) by 2025, berth occupancy for the majority of all Port berths will remain below 60 percent. Berths 9 and 10 will reach 86 percent each by 2025. Without these two new berths, berth occupancy for Berths 9 and 10 will reach 140 percent, a rate that is nearly double the high occupancy rate of 75 percent, which is unacceptable for efficient cargo-handling. Additional berth capacity may also become available once productivity levels of cargo-handling equipment (whether existing or future) are improved.