The Broward County Commission has awarded a 10-year lease to the Miami-based shipping company. At first, the contract represents a minimum of $2.4 million in annual payments to the port, but that will evolve to $4.2 million a year, the port said in a news release.
"SeaFreight has a proven success record at Port Everglades with their shipping line, and now will have the opportunity to grow their business and presence in South Florida with their own cargo terminal," Port Everglades Director Phil Allen said.
Using other companies’ terminals, SeaFreight has operated at the port for 18 years, the news release said. The new terminal will be located on a 25-acre portion of a new cargo yard at the southern end of the port that has been under construction since April 2009.
SeaFreight currently operates eight container ships at Port Everglades, with twice weekly sailings to and from the Caribbean, the news release said.
Port Everglades spokeswoman Ellen Kennedy said the terminal is expected to open sometime in the first half of next year.
The area where the new terminal will be situated was part of a controversial land deal engineered by developer Michael Swerdlow, who sold a 271-acre parcel to the county for $120 million in 1997. The acreage strategically connects Port Everglades and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
An audit of the deal showed taxpayers paid too much for the land, the Business Journal reported in 1999. The county had two much lower appraisals for the land: one for $68.7 million and another for $40 million.
"SeaFreight has a proven success record at Port Everglades with their shipping line, and now will have the opportunity to grow their business and presence in South Florida with their own cargo terminal," Port Everglades Director Phil Allen said.
Using other companies’ terminals, SeaFreight has operated at the port for 18 years, the news release said. The new terminal will be located on a 25-acre portion of a new cargo yard at the southern end of the port that has been under construction since April 2009.
SeaFreight currently operates eight container ships at Port Everglades, with twice weekly sailings to and from the Caribbean, the news release said.
Port Everglades spokeswoman Ellen Kennedy said the terminal is expected to open sometime in the first half of next year.
The area where the new terminal will be situated was part of a controversial land deal engineered by developer Michael Swerdlow, who sold a 271-acre parcel to the county for $120 million in 1997. The acreage strategically connects Port Everglades and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
An audit of the deal showed taxpayers paid too much for the land, the Business Journal reported in 1999. The county had two much lower appraisals for the land: one for $68.7 million and another for $40 million.