Port Tampa Bay's Zim Canada, a 11,900TEU vessel, sets new records, highlighting the port's growth and infrastructure investments.
Port Tampa Bay welcomed its largest containership to date with the arrival of Zim Canada, which has a capacity of 11,900TEU, reported Fort Lauderdale's Maritime Executive. The vessel set new records for capacity and gross tonnage at the Florida port.
The 1,083-foot ship, built in 2022 in China, weighs 114,643 gross tons and is registered in the Marshall Islands. Owned by Seaspan and chartered to Zim, it surpasses previous records by nearly 2,000TEU.
Officials stated that the arrival highlights the port's growing role in handling larger vessels and underscores the importance of infrastructure investment. The port is advancing a US$1.3 billion project to deepen its channel from 43 feet to 47 feet, with completion expected by 2034.
The Tampa Harbor Navigation Improvement Project has received US$10 million in federal funding for planning and design. Expanded crane capacity is also planned, with six post-Panamax cranes expected to be operational by the end of 2026.
Port Tampa Bay handled 32 million tons of cargo in fiscal 2025, including nearly 263,000TEU, representing a 300 percent increase since 2018. It also processed a record 1.66 million cruise passengers last year, with 1.8 million expected in 2026.
Officials emphasized the port's role in Florida's economy, noting it handles 45 percent of the state's gas and jet fuel. A proposed new cruise terminal in Manatee County was blocked by legislation in March, but city officials are exploring alternative sites.
