With the start this fall of the widening and deepening of the three-and-one-half-mile channel, Port Canaveral also is pursuing the development of an inland port near the north end of Brevard County, which has lost thousands of space-related jobs and is suffering the economic repercussions.

“An inland port will create a commerce hub and expand opportunities for business creation, retention and attraction in North Brevard,’ says Canaveral Port Authority Commission Vice Chairman Jerry Allender. “In addition, it will help us offer a complete multi-modal transportation system with sea, land, air, and space links.”

Dedicated barges will carry cargo from Port Canaveral to inland transfer points and connect to Florida East Coast Railway. The project involves reactivation of a rail spur in Port St. John, located just south of the city of Titusville.

“We are pleased to explore opportunities to partner with Canaveral Port Authority to identify and establish an inland port distribution center to be located within the city of Titusville,” says Laura Canady, Titusville’s Economic Development Director. “The hub will create a direct route for the flow of goods from the Port through Titusville and onto destinations in Florida and throughout the southeastern United States.

The Port is planning for the potential of containerized cargo via the domestic marine highway or international feeder service from other ports to Central Florida distribution hubs and consumer markets. Development of an inland port could serve these goals while furthering the Port’s market reach to the Southeast and Midwest.

Port Canaveral is building two new deepwater cargo berths offering 1,872 feet of new space and has purchased two ship-to-shore post-Panamax harbor cranes. Currently, 60 acres of land is available for container and cargo terminal development.