The shipping platform

Location: The entrance to Tampa Bay is at Egmont Key, Florida (27°36'N 082°45'W). The port of Tampa is a sheltered harbour located on Tampa Bay, in the Gulf of Mexico, some 35nm from the open sea. Tampa Bay extends NE from the Gulf of Mexico for a distance of about 20nm and is about 7nm wide at its widest point. The city of Tampa is located on the Hillsborough River at the head of Hillsborough Bay, 41nm from the Gulf of Mexico. General overview: The port, which includes the areas of Port of Tampa, Port Sutton, Alafia River, Big Bend/Port Redwing, Port Tampa and Rattlesnake, is a large manufacturing, shipping and distribution centre. Trade includes: phosphate, petroleum, sulphur, cement, chemicals, agricultural products, scrap iron, machinery and general cargo. Project cargoes and heavy-lift pieces are among the Port's specialties. Cruise ships also operate from the port. Traffic figures: Approx 2,800 vessels, 34,200,000t of cargo, 2,066,500TEU and 750,000 passengers handled annually. Load line zone: Summer. Max size: Largest vessel handled: "Golden Monarch", 44,881GT. 33 million tons of cargo a year, 5000 acres Major shipyard-ship repair center, Major fertilizer export port, Energy products gateway for Central Florida.