PortMiami in mediation with owner of its only fueling site

Written by Kelly Sanchez on April 8, 2026

PortMiami, one of Miami-Dade’s major economic drivers, is in confidential mediation with the new owner of its imperiled sole fueling site on Fisher Island, according to seaport director Hydi Webb.

As Miami Today previously reported, the 9.6-acre privately owned fuel hub on the luxury island has been the port’s sole source for 95 years. Competitive seaports control their fuel on port land, but PortMiami has never done so. The land was sold to luxury condo developer HRP Group for $180 million by the private owner, TransMontaigne Partners, last September.

The company plans a large-scale development at the bunker site, which could result in the county losing its fuel depot. The county commission voted in October to mediate with the new landowner with a 60-day time limit and an already-approved eminent domain filing that would be triggered should the mediator declare an impasse.

Under the vote, talks were to include three to-be-chosen sites on PortMiami as alternate fueling sites to Fisher Island. The port and administration in the past have insisted the port cannot accommodate the fueling operation.

Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told commissioners that fueling on the port faces challenges “such as lack of available acreage, lack of berth availability, and impacts to operations, lack that could limit future revenue and growth.”

Mediation was to start Oct. 20 and end Dec. 20, but the county is still negotiating with the developer.

“Our stakeholders have been receiving fuel from the facility that’s located in unincorporated Fisher Island for almost 100 years now, and that’s the only fuel close by,” Ms. Webb said. “So we’re under confidential mediation right now with the current owner of the facility, through mediated discussions with them right now.”

PortMiami, called the Cargo Gateway of the Americas and the world’s leading cruise port, generates billions annually and supports 340,078 jobs.