Port Tampa Bay Receives Largest Containership as Growth Continues

Port Tampa Bay (Florida) welcomed a container vessel on Thursday, April 9, that set a new record for carrying capacity at the port. It comes as the port continues its long-term growth and is set to launch key new infrastructure projects.

The Zim Canada docked with 11,900 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), nearly 2,000 more than any vessel previously handled at the port. The ship, stretching 1,083 feet in length, is 114,643 gross tons, also making it the largest vessel by gross tonnage ever to dock at Port Tampa Bay.

Built in 2022 in China, the 132,069 dwt vessel is owned by Seaspan and on long-term charter to Zim. It is registered in the Marshall Islands.

According to port officials, the arrival underscores the port’s growing role in handling larger, high-capacity containerships and highlights the importance of ongoing infrastructure investments.

The record-setting arrival came as the port advances its largest project in history, the deepening of the shipping channel from 43 feet to 47 feet, set to begin construction in 2027. The $1.3 billion project will extend the entrance channel by 1.9 miles, remove 22 million cubic feet of material, and improve access for deeper-draft vessels.

This week, the port announced it will be receiving $10 million in federal funding for the Tampa Harbor Navigation Improvement Project. It will support initial planning, engineering, and design. The project will proceed in six phases and is expected to be completed by 2034. The port is also preparing for expanded crane capabilities, with six post-Panamax cranes expected to be operational by the end of 2026.

Port Tampa Bay continues to grow as Florida’s largest and most diversified seaport. In fiscal year 2025, the port handled 32 million tons of cargo, including petroleum products, dry bulk commodities, containers, breakbulk, and project cargo. Container volumes have increased by more than 300 percent since 2018, with nearly 263,000 TEUs moving through the port last year.

Officials highlighted that 45 percent of Florida’s gas and jet fuel is handled through the Port of Tampa Bay while emphasizing the vital role the port plays in the West Coast of Florida’s economy.

Port of Tampa Bay also handled a record 1.66 million cruise passengers, the highest total in its history, during 2025. Officials recently said the port is currently tracking toward 1.8 million passengers in 2026.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, however, on March 19, signed legislation blocking a proposed new cruise terminal in Manatee County. It would have been located outside the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, which limits the size of cruise ships that can enter the port. City officials are continuing to explore options for the location of a new terminal that would support the growth of the cruise sector from the port.