STEEL
Making Way
Skyline Steel is proving to be an
effective supplier for the expanding
PortMiami
By Janet M. Himstead, Skyline Steel
In the early 1900s, a powerful hurricane hit the southern end
of Florida, creating what is now called Government Cut, by
splitting the southernmost tip of Miami Beach. This cut was
dredged, along with a new channel, to Bicentennial Park in the
heart of downtown Miami. The new access to the mainland created
the Main Channel and shipping access to the new port was greatly
improved. The remains from the dredging were used to create three
new islands: Dodge, Lummus and Sam’s Islands.
In 1960, the County and City commissioners of Miami-Dade
approved the construction of the new Port of Miami. This new
port would be built on Dodge Island, which would be connected to
both Lummus and Sam’s Islands. This land mass, approximately
520-acres, is located in central Biscayne Bay, and is bordered to the
north by the Main Channel adjacent to the MacArthur Causeway
(I-395), to the west by downtown Miami, to the east by Miami
Beach and Fisher Island and to the south by Fisherman’s Channel
and Biscayne Bay. Upon construction of the new seawalls, transit
shed A, the administration building and a new vehicle and railroad
bridge, operations were transferred from the mainland port to the
new Port of Miami on the wholly man-made Dodge Island.
As the population and needs of south and central Florida grew,
so did the needs of the port. Construction of several berths for both
cruise and cargo ships continued from 1960 through today, growing
rapidly in all areas. In 1997, the port undertook a redevelopment
program of over $250 million to accommodate the changing
demands of cruise vessels, passengers, shippers and carriers. In
addition, the Port of Miami Tunnel was constructed in 2010 and
completed in 2014, which provided direct vehicle access from the
port to the interstate highway system via State Road 836, bypassing
the congestion of downtown Miami.
PortMiami is recognized as the Cruise Capital of the World.
It has retained its status as the number one cruise passenger port
in the world for well over four decades, accommodating cruise vessels
of many major cruise lines. In 2010, the Port of Miami handled
more than 4.1 million cruise passengers.
The cruise industry supports one of the biggest economic generators
for the region: tourism. PortMiami plans to remain number
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