THE PORT EVERGLADES DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.
This item supports the Broward County Board of County Commissioners’ Value of “Ensuring economic opportunities for all people and businesses in Broward” and Goal to “Increase the economic strength and impact of revenue-generating County enterprises balancing economic, environmental, and community needs”.
Port Everglades Pilots, Inc., d/b/a the Port Everglades Pilots Association (Port Everglades Pilots), is the only entity authorized to provide harbor pilots licensed by the state and Federal government to assist with the navigation of ships into and out of Port Everglades in compliance with state of Florida pilotage requirements, and has been providing that service since 1931. In December 2016, Broward County’s Port Everglades Department contracted with the Port Everglades Pilots to perform simulation studies at the STAR Center in Dania Beach for the transit of two classes of large neo-Panamax container vessels (ships designed to transit through the recently widened Panama Canal) to determine if such vessels could safely operate into and out of Port Everglades. These vessel classes, with a length of 1093 feet and 158 foot beam, and a length of 1145 feet and 150 foot beam, were identified by a port tenant as possibly making future port calls at Port Everglades before the deepening and widening associated with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Port Everglades Navigation Improvements project is completed.
The purpose of the simulation study was to determine whether these classes of vessels could safely operate at Port Everglades and under what conditions. The results of the simulations showed that these vessels could safely operate at the port, but only under certain conditions. One of the requirements identified by the pilots to bring such vessels into the port was that the pilots use a Portable Pilot Unit (PPU). PPUs are equipment carried aboard by the pilots to provide the pilot with precise information on the position of the vessel as well as its movement through the water.
On August 9, 2017, the Port Everglades Chief Executive/Port Director received a request from the Port Everglades Pilots requesting financial assistance from the Port Everglades Department totaling $62,716 to purchase the required equipment and training for the seventeen State-licensed pilots who are members of the Port Everglades Pilots Association (see Exhibit 3). The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) provides that the County will reimburse the Port Everglades Pilots for the actual documented cost of the equipment and training, in an amount not to exceed $62,716, to provide the initial capability. The Port Everglades Pilots will be responsible for all maintenance, repair and replacement of the equipment, software subscriptions, and any other expenses at its sole cost and expense, and the PPU equipment will be the property of the pilots.
Given that the use of this equipment by the pilots will enhance the safety of navigation at Port Everglades, Port staff recommends approval of the MOA. The MOA has been reviewed and approved as to form by the Office of the County Attorney.
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