FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDate: June 22, 2016Contact: Andy Fobes, TPA PR Director, 813.905.5132 or afobes@tampaport.com

Port Tampa Bay commissions new post-Panamax container cranes

Top left: Florida Governor Rick Scott address attendees of the Port Tampa Bay crane dedication ceremony July 22, touting the economic strength of ports and the contributions of seaports toward jobs and long term economic growth. Middle: Port Tampa Bay President and CEO Paul Anderson welcomes attendees to the crane dedication ceremony and thanks the many partners and supporters on the state and federal level for creating the port’s momentum in building its container terminal. Left: Florida Sen. Marco Rubio congratulates Port Tampa Bay and the Tampa Bay community on the occasion of the two new post-Panamax gantry cranes that are elevating the port’s economic impact and footprint as a gateway for global trade. Bottom left: Port Tampa Bay executives present commemorative posters to members of the port’s Executive Shippers Council, who represent the lion’s share of the port’s annual container movements. Right: Elected officials and invited dignitaries join Port President and CEO Paul Anderson and Ports America President Tom Perdue in pressing the “button” to activate the new container cranes. (High resolution images available upon request.)

TAMPA, Fla.— Port Tampa Bay today officially commissioned its two new, post-Panamax gantry cranes

today, amid an enthusiastic crowd of dignitaries and port customers.

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Florida Gov. Rick Scott delivered remarks highlighting the significance of this enhanced capacity

for Port Tampa Bay to serve Florida’s expanding international trade, as well as the importance of the

state’s seaports and logistics sector in generating jobs and economic development. In addition, Scott

got an up close view of the cranes and met with shipping companies, exporters and importers.

Additional remarks by U.S. Senator Marco Rubio; Cissy Proctor, executive director of the Florida

Department of Economic Opportunity; Jim Boxold, secretary of the Florida Department of

Transportation; Tom Perdue, president of Ports America; and Marianela Dengo de Obaldía, highlighted

the ceremony, each noting the extremely important milestone the new cranes represent and the value

of global trade and seaports to the economy.

Representing a cost-shared capital investment of $24 million by Port Tampa Bay, the State of

Florida and Ports America, the new cranes are part of the port’s ongoing efforts to expand and diversify

its cargo business, in particular the large and growing market for containerized cargo in the port’s

backyard – the Tampa Bay/Orlando I-4 Corridor region. Home to the largest concentration of

distribution centers in the state, the Tampa Bay/Orlando I-4 Corridor is the fastest growing region of

Florida, which recently surpassed New York as the third most populous state, with more than 20 million

residents, and welcoming over 100 million tourists per year.

The new cranes were built and delivered by ZPMC in Shanghai, the world’s leading manufacturer

of cranes and large steel structures. With a total height of over 300 feet (130 feet under the spreader)

and an outreach of 174 feet, the new cranes allow the port to handle ships of up to 9,000 TEU container

capacity, nearly twice the size of the largest ships that could be accommodated by the port’s existing

three older container cranes. Since their delivery and installation in early April, the new cranes have

undergone extensive testing and certification.

“It’s great to unveil these beautiful new cranes to our customers and the community, following a

seamless and exciting period of getting them ready for container operations. We appreciate the support

and leadership of the governor and our elected officials, as well as our strategic partner Ports America

and our own team, who have worked on the crane project. It’s truly a milestone for the port as we

realize this tremendous capital investment and begin to see the generational benefits for the economy.

Today marks an important milestone for Port Tampa Bay, enhancing our ability to better serve our large

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and growing market, and assisting our efforts to attract new services, which will provide exporters and

importers in our region with more options and improved connections to their overseas customers and

suppliers,” Paul Anderson, president and CEO, said.

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About Port Tampa Bay

Port Tampa Bay is the largest economic engine in west central Florida, supporting nearly 80,000 jobs and generating almost $15 billion in annual economic impact. The port handles a wide array of bulk, break bulk, containers and roll-on/roll-off cargoes, and is a top ten cruise homeport and shipbuilding/repair center. Port Tampa Bay was recently named 2016 Port Operator of the Year by Lloyd’s List.

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