FL: Port Tampa Bay OKs New Lease Agreements to Expand Operations at Port Redwing

Port Tampa Bay’s Board of Commissioners recently approved three separate lease agreements to expand operations at Port Redwing. The agreements were approved with AJAX Paving Industries of Florida, LLC, Redwing Terminals, LLC, and Pangaea Florida, LLC to expand the handling of a variety of aggregates, including limestone, granite, and crushed concrete; cementitious products and several others. These materials will support roadbuilding, infrastructure, and construction projects to keep pace with and serve Florida’s rapidly expanding population.  

AJAX Paving Industries of Florida is a privately owned company with more than forty-two years of experience in paving and road construction building Florida’s highways and infrastructure. Ajax currently operates eight asphalt plants in Florida and six asphalt plants in Michigan. The port’s board approved a lease agreement with AJAX for ten acres of land at Port Redwing, with conveyor access to Berth 302 for the importation of aggregate. 

Redwing Terminals is the aggregates import division of Blue Water Industries, LLC, a construction aggregates producer. Formed in 2018, Blue Water employs more than 300 people throughout the Southeast United States, including South Carolina, Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Virginia. Blue Water currently owns and operates 20 rock quarries and five sand mines. Products include crushed limestone, rip rap, gravel, concrete and asphalt sand, gabbro, and granite. The board approved a lease with Redwing Terminals for approximately 14.0 acres of land, with conveyor access to Berth 302 for the importation of aggregate. 

Finally, Pangaea Florida is a wholly owned business unit of Pangaea Logistics Solutions’ port terminal and stevedoring division, expanding its Florida activities with operations at Port Redwing, in addition to its operations at Port Everglades and Palm Beach. Pangaea Logistics Solutions, Ltd is a publicly traded company (NASD: PANL) headquartered in Newport, RI, and established in 1996. Pangaea operates a fleet of 60-70 dry bulk vessels in the Supramax, Ultramax, Panamax, and Post-Panamax classes, 25 of which are owned. Pangaea employs more than 125 people shoreside and approximately 550 Officers and Crew members at sea, onboard its owned ships. The port’s board approved a lease agreement with Pangaea for approximately 2.0 acres of land with conveyor access to Berth 302 for the importation of aggregate and other commodities.  

“Port Tampa Bay, and especially Port Redwing, continues to diversify its operations to best serve the fast-growing region and state. The recently approved leases with AJAX, Redwing Terminals, and Pangaea Florida will bring in new bulk and aggregate businesses that will create new jobs and spur future economic development,” explained Paul Anderson, Port Tampa Bay President and CEO. 

Port Tampa Bay is Florida's largest port, supporting nearly 85,000 jobs and generating over $18 billion in annual economic impact. In addition to being a top 10 U.S. cruise port, the port handles a wide array of bulk, break bulk, containers, and roll-on/roll-off cargoes, and is a major shipbuilding and repair center.