Port Everglades director says facility is catching up with demand for gas

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — After Port Everglade’s shutdown led to service stations running out of gas, the port director said tankers are unloading efficiently, and fuel trucks are running in and out quickly to distribute gas.

Port Everglades CEO Jonathan Daniels said progress is being made on getting fuel where it needs to go, as most of the gas that heads to Palm Beach County comes through the port.  

Daniels said an eighth terminal is now up and running getting fuel into trucks that come by the port.  

There were seven Monday.  

There are a total of 12 terminals.  

The CEO said that the process of getting tankers to unload fuel at the port and getting trucks in and out after filling up with gas and diesel has become more efficient as the operations at Port Everglades catches up with demand.  

“So, the supply is not the issue,” Daniels said. “It’s just getting these terminals and the damage that they had, back on line and to make sure we get the proper flow out into the community.”  

The Florida Division of Emergency Management said in Tweet Tuesday that they are deploying 500,000 of gallons fuel to stations in South Florida and that transports are being escorted by law enforcement partners from terminals to stations in order to expedite delivery.

Daniels confirmed the historic rainfall and flooding shut down the port terminals for a day and a half not just from flooded roads.  

By law, terminal operators had to take extra steps to make sure rainfall and flood water did not get into the terminal tanks and contaminate the fuel supply.