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This Port Manatee Master Plan Update, 2016 (the Plan), consistent with the requirements of Chapter 163, Florida Statutes (F.S.), and Section 311.14 (2) F.S., provides a framework for Port Manatee's maintenance and expansion program through the next decade and beyond. In so doing, it builds on previous planning documents that served to take the Port to its current level of development and looks into the future to identify the Port's potential opportunities and needs to continue expanding as the Port for Southwest Florida, diversifying operations, and generating local, regional, and statewide economic benefits. 
As a semi-rural port in a developing area of Manatee County, Port Manatee is strategically located on Tampa Bay, relatively close to the Gulf of Mexico and offers efficient intermodal connections. Moreover, the Port is committed to preserving its competitive advantages through farsighted planning and intergovernmental coordination and cooperation. Blessed with nearly 5,000 undeveloped acres across from its gates, the Port, in conjunction with the county, is committed to attracting port-related activities to its environs. Further, given its central location in relation to both the Tampa Bay and the Southwest Florida regions, the Port is committed to ensuring that its activities enhance widespread job-creating growth while maintaining its environmental stewardship. This commitment is reflected in the Port's mission statement and in the goals, objectives, and policies (see Chapter 6) that will govern the Port's maintenance and expansion activities over the planning period. |