IN THE KNOW Podcast 25: Port Tampa Bay Keeps Florida Moving

In this episode of The Maritime Executive Magazine podcast series, editor in chief Tony Munoz spoke with Port Tampa Bay CEO Paul Anderson about how the maritime industry kept goods moving through the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Port Tampa Bay is a diversified operation, serving cruise lines, fuel and petroleum shipping, container shipping and bulk cargo. Its cruise terminal went idle last year due to the cruise industry shutdown, and jet fuel consignments fell off as air travel declined, but the steady business at its other piers has carried it through. In particular, population growth along Florida's expanding I-4 corridor has fueled demand for container shipping and bulk/breakbulk construction materials. Port Tampa Bay has rapidly added container services in recent years, and over the course of the pandemic, it has experienced a 33 percent growth in its container businesss.

This is Paul Anderson's second appearance on the In the Know podcast. Anderson is a former federal maritime commissioner and former CEO of the Jacksonville Port Authority. He has also served terms as the chairman of the Florida Ports Council and chairman of the Florida Ports Financing Commission. Anderson currently serves on the board of directors for the Florida Chamber of Commerce and the Associated Industries of Florida, among other organizations.