The state of Florida is providing $9.5 million to jumpstart recovery efforts at SeaPort Manatee. The port is located in the eastern Gulf of Mexico at the entrance to Tampa Bay.
Speaking at the port Monday, DeSantis said the state funding will not only ensure that fuel is flowing again at the port, but also that the port can continue to be an economic driver in the state.
The port generated $275 million in state and local revenue last year alone.
“For every state dollar invested in seaport infrastructure, the expected return on investment for the state is $7. But even beyond that, we want to make sure that our supply chain is strong and that we get the port back to where it needs to be as soon as possible,” said DeSantis.
The governor said the port suffered over $200 million in losses from damages incurred during the storm.
“Now, a lot of those losses are insured, but some components are not,” said DeSantis.
Watch the governor's full announcement at SeaPort Manatee here:
About a third of the state funding will be used for immediate security needs at the port, with the rest going to berth repairs, dredging needs and fortification efforts on port infrastructure.
DeSantis said he’s also sending the Florida National Guard to reestablish perimeter security at the port.
SeaPort Manatee is the primary deep water seaport in Southwest Florida, handling 400 million gallons of gas, along with fruits, vegetables, appliances, construction materials and wood.
The Port of Tampa is open and fully functional.
Since the storm, DeSantis said 2,500 trucks have been deployed from the Port of Tampa with gas. A total of 5 million gallons of gas has been unloaded from that port.
SeaPort Manatee, even with storm damage, has deployed over 300,000 gallons of gas.
Port Canaveral has deployed 12 million gallons of fuel since the storm.
Over 2.4 million gallons of the state’s gas reserves has been used so far since Hurricane Milton. DeSantis announced 12 fueling sites are providing up to 10 gallons of free gas to Floridians to relieve shortages.
Watch the governor's press conference on free fueling depots in the state:
As far as power restoration, DeSantis said as of Monday, over 3.8 million accounts have been restored when it comes to power: about 97% of the state is electrified and operational, with 369,000 accounts without power.
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