Port of Tampa Prepares to Unveil New Railroad Line to Boost Cargo, Ethanol Markets
by Jamal Thalji (Tampa Bay Times) The transformation of the Port of Tampa will start on land.
The port is nearing completion of the $11 million Tampa Gateway Rail Terminal, a 2-mile rail loop that will speed the unloading of ethanol-bearing trains and cargo-bearing ships.
It’s the first port-based rail facility in Florida that will have the capability to unload 96 railroad cars right alongside the docks, according to the Port of Tampa. The project is a public-private partnership between the Tampa Port Authority, railroad operator CSX Corp. and oil and gas pipeline giant Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P.
…For Kinder Morgan, the new rail line will allow the company to take advantage of the growing ethanol market and ship more of it throughout Florida.
… The port expects 31,000 rail cars a year to deliver 300 million gallons of ethanol annually. READ MORE
