Port Everglades wins $30.75 million to upgrade South Florida’s fuel gateway
· Grant announced October 27, 2026
Port Everglades, South Florida’s main seaport for receiving gasoline, jet fuel and other energy products, has won a $30.75 million federal grant to make room for larger fuel ships.
Infrastructure × Energy
The port behind every fill-up
The grant comes from the Port Infrastructure Development Program of the Maritime Administration (MARAD), the federal agency for shipping and ports. Port Everglades says it received its full request for the Slip 1 Expansion Project.
A slip is the stretch of water where ships dock. The plan is to widen Slip 1 to 450 feet and move its bulkhead, the wall at the water’s edge, so larger and more economical fuel tankers can unload. The port also says the work will help keep fuel deliveries going during severe weather.
The whole public-private project is estimated at $184.5 million, so the grant covers about one sixth. Work is expected to take three to four years, with Phase 1 construction scheduled to begin in 2028.
Why it’s good, in plain words: gas stations, airports and power for daily life in South Florida depend on fuel arriving by ship. Bigger ships mean fewer trips to bring in the same amount, and a stronger dock helps keep deliveries going after storms. As the region grows, this is the kind of quiet infrastructure that keeps everything running.
- Port
- Port Everglades, Broward County
- Grant
- $30.75 million, Port Infrastructure Development Program (MARAD)
- Project
- Slip 1 expansion: widen to 450 feet, move the bulkhead
- Total cost
- About $184.5 million (estimate, public and private)
- Timeline
- 3 to 4 years; Phase 1 construction scheduled for 2028
What it means for Miami · Our view
South Florida’s growth is not only about towers. Fuel, cargo and transportation infrastructure are what make that growth possible, and this money supports one of the region’s most important energy links.
Still to be confirmed
The rest of the funding, the final schedule and when the larger slip will open. The grant does not mean lower gas prices.
Sources
- Port Everglades receives $30.75 million federal grant for fuel modernization (opens in a new tab) (official announcement, October 27, 2026)
- Port Everglades receives $30.75 million for fuel modernization (opens in a new tab) (Cruise Industry News, October 28, 2026)
Want to know more?
Ask Cathy Mai Phung, founder and editor-in-chief of Miami Reimagined.