Planning board approves Panama City Port Authority transloading improvements at Commerce Boulevard campus

The Panama City Planning Board on Jan. 13 approved MDEV2511, a major‑development request by the Panama City Port Authority to make operational improvements to a liquid transloading facility within the port’s multimodal distribution center at 8110 Commerce Boulevard.

Alex King, representing the Panama City Port Authority, described the work as part of a master‑plan phase‑2 improvement to an existing bulk transfer facility. King said the project will not add rail capacity but will add truck scales and other operational features to support cargo currently moved through the port. "We're actually not gonna add any rail capacity to it, but we are gonna add truck scales in because of the cargo that we are currently moving through," King said. He said the project is funded in part by a matching grant and is intended to attract new cargo opportunities such as food‑grade liquid sugar transloads that would otherwise move through out‑of‑state ports.

No members of the public spoke on the item. The board voted unanimously, 5-0, to approve the major development request. Board members Carroll, Stamps, Barker, Rich and Chairman Neubauer recorded "yes" votes.

King said the improvements are aimed at increasing port capacity, improving export activity and creating jobs in Bay County. The approval allows the port authority to proceed with the development‑order and permitting steps under the city’s Unified Land Development Code; additional engineering and permit approvals remain required before construction.

Next steps: the port authority will continue with design, permitting and grant administration to implement the operational improvements.