FIT opens new terminal at Port Everglades

Florida International Terminal LLC (FIT) has opened a new 32-acre containerized cargo terminal at Port Everglades in Broward County.

The new terminal has double the number of entry gates and adds scales, heavy equipment technology and increased stacked capacity, Broward County officials said in a press release.

Improvements at the new terminal include:
• six lanes entering the terminal with scales and two outbound lanes;
• an appointment system that will be implemented with a lane for refrigerated cargo;
• a new yard tractor fleet and upgraded container handling equipment;
• information technology systems offering quick disaster recovery abilities; and
• addition of up to 350 new power plugs for refrigerated containers.

"We have installed a lot of new technology to better monitor gate traffic and what is happening throughout the terminal," said FIT Vice President and General Manager Klaus Stadthagen. "By improving efficiency we are helping our customers, the shipping lines, develop their business."

In fiscal-year 2018, FIT posted a 17 percent increase in container volume. About 15 percent of its container volume is perishable cargo.

During the next five years, Port Everglades will invest nearly $1 billion in infrastructure improvements to increase cargo volume. Expansion projects include adding cargo berths, installing Super Post-Panamax container gantry cranes, increasing the lifting capacity of existing cranes, and deepening and widening the port's navigation channels.