Cemex US completes $36M expansion of Port Tampa Bay terminal

A building materials company celebrated the completion Thursday of a $36 million expansion to its terminal at Port Tampa Bay. 

Cemex US invested $29 million into its marine aggregate terminal and received another $7 million through a grant from the Florida Department of Transportation. The expansion significantly increases the terminal’s capacity to receive, store and distribute the aggregate materials used in concrete, asphalt and construction projects throughout the region. 

The Houston-based company transports its aggregates from Newfoundland, Canada, to Tampa Bay via Port Tampa Bay’s deepwater berths, using a large conveying system to move approximately 5,000 tons of material per hour from ship to storage, according to a release. Cemex US officials say they expect the expanded terminal to handle approximately 1.5 million tons of aggregate each year, depending on shipping conditions — creating a reliable source of the critical construction material for use in projects throughout the Tampa Bay region. 

“The completion of our aggregate terminal at Port Tampa Bay strengthens Cemex’s ability to serve one of Florida’s fastest-growing regions with the essential materials needed to build and maintain critical infrastructure — from roads and schools to hospitals and housing,” Jesus Gonzalez, president of Cemex US, says in the release. 

The expansion makes Cemex US’s terminal at Port Tampa Bay the only location where the company can house an aggregate terminal, a cement terminal and a ready-mix concrete plant in one location, the release says. 

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor was on hand Thursday to celebrate the opening of the expanded port, which she says will strengthen regional supply chains while ensuring that essential aggregate building material remains available at a predictable cost. 

Paul Anderson, President and CEO of Port Tampa Bay, also celebrated the expansion as underscoring the Port’s role as an economic engine for the region. It comes at a time when the port is preparing to launch an estimated $1.5 billion effort in the 2028 fiscal year to deepen and widen its shipping channels, allowing larger ships to access Tampa’s docks. 

Port Tampa Bay is the largest port in Florida by both cargo tonnage and land area, according to its website, spanning more than 5,000 acres.