Ports of Indiana
Ports of Indiana recently announced that it has been awarded two federal grants FEMA grants to strengthen security infrastructure and assessment capabilities at its Burns Harbor and Jeffersonville ports.
The FEMA Port Security Grant Program “provides funding to state and municipal entities to help protect critical port infrastructure from terrorism, enhance maritime domain awareness, improve port-wide maritime security risk management, and maintain or reestablish maritime security mitigation protocols that support port recovery and resiliency capabilities.”
The grants made to Ports of Indiana, totaling more than $140,000, “will support critical upgrades and evaluations that advance the safety and resilience of Indiana’s multimodal logistics network.”
Burns Harbor – CCTV Infrastructure Upgrades
A $115,691 federal grant will fund the procurement and installation of advanced CCTV infrastructure at the Burns Harbor port. The project includes installation of new lighting and fiber, which Ports of Indiana says, will enhance surveillance capabilities. Ports of Indiana will contribute a $38,564 match to complete the project.
Jeffersonville – Comprehensive Security Assessment
A $25,000 federal grant will support a third-party security assessment at the Jeffersonville port. The assessment will evaluate all aspects of physical and cybersecurity, identify vulnerabilities, recommend improvements, and produce a Facility Security Plan (FSP) tailored to the port’s operational needs. No matching funds are required for this project.
“These grants reflect our ongoing commitment to proactive security investment and operational excellence across Indiana’s ports,” said Ports of Indiana COO David Parrott “We’re grateful for FEMA’s support in helping us strengthen infrastructure and safeguard critical assets that drive economic growth.”
“Maintaining and improving the highest level of security at our ports is of utmost importance, given the significance of Ports of Indiana to this state’s economy. We are extremely appreciative of FEMA’s recognition of that fact and their assistance toward that goal,” added Dan Henson, Security Manager at Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor.
SeaPort Manatee
More cargo is flowing through SeaPort Manatee than ever in the 55-year history of the maritime trade hub for Southwest and Central Florida, according to record results reported Nov. 4 for the fiscal year 2025 ended Sept. 30.
SeaPort Manatee handled an all-time-high total throughput of 11,855,828 tons of cargo in fiscal 2025, slimly surpassing the prior record of 11,779,601 tons moved in fiscal 2024, while also reporting best-ever levels of liquid and dry bulk activity.
“The latest record results highlight the vital role SeaPort Manatee plays in our local and regional economy,” said Mike Rahn, Chairman of the Manatee County Port Authority. “We are committed to continuing to advance the capabilities of the port to efficiently move increasing volumes of such critical commodities as gasoline, fruit juices, fresh produce and construction materials.”
Petroleum products and juices, the trade hub says, were key contributors to the record 6,400,844 tons of liquid bulk moving through SeaPort Manatee in fiscal 2025, up 8% from the preceding 12-month period, while the dry bulk pinnacle of 3,442,991 tons—up 9.7% from fiscal 2024—was boosted by consistent flows of such commodities as phosphate rock, granite and limestone.
Breakbulk tonnage rose 10.4% from fiscal 2024, reaching 793,128 tons in the recently completed 12-month period, with Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A. Inc. shifting the way it imports tropical fruits from containerized to breakbulk manner. Commensurately, SeaPort Manatee’s containerized cargo volume declined to 919,556 tons from the record 1,283,027 tons the preceding fiscal year, and the number of 20-foot-equivalent units handled declined to 133,456 from the record 168,897 TEUs of a year earlier.
“SeaPort Manatee has proven its resilience through its rapid recovery from Hurricane Milton, which made landfall just south of the port on Oct. 9, 2024, only nine days into fiscal 2025,” said Carlos Buqueras, SeaPort Manatee’s Executive Director. “Not only were crucial fuel distribution activities resumed within hours of the storm’s landfall, but the port also swiftly restarted shipments of a host of consumer and industrial goods, including lumber, plywood and aluminum used in our region’s rebuilding process.”
