W. Bradford Gehry
Kudos must be made to the Port of Palm Beach Commission for the successful establishment and expansion of the superyacht facility Berth One.
Everything I’ve seen in the maritime world suggests that superyachts will dominate the ‘newbuild’ category of shipbuilding for years to come. However, other docking facilities in the lower Lake Worth Lagoon can be challenging due to greater vessel length, depth and channel restrictions.
The port also offers exciting opportunities for clean environmental business activities. A business model designed by Jimmy Buffett that improved the operation of large cruise ships. Expanded cruise facilities have the potential to bring in additional revenue, but can also attract cruise travelers to other attractions in the county. It was used as a remote transit point and an export shipping platform for Today, our prized county waterfront is well-suited for tourism and high-tech activities, a platform for new marine technologies.
Storage for bulky goods and construction materials should be located in less expensive areas outside the coastal areas of Lake Worth. Lockheed Martin, a major U.S. naval defense contractor, is a major contractor for the Department of Defense based north of the port. Lockheed technology is leading the way in new maritime weapon systems. Lockheed tests underwater drones in Lake Worth Cove, [and] Our Gulf Stream location serves as a coastal weapon range. Almost every week, test drones are towed to Lake Worth Cove for sea trials.
Lockheed’s history in Palm Beach is instructive. The first work on civil and government submersibles took place in the 1950s on the Perry Submersible on Riviera Beach. The U.S. government, through the work of former U.S. Congressman Paul His Beach Paul His Rogers, has established a large coastal base at West His Palm as a naval underwater weapons training range on the Atlantic tongue of the Lower Bahamas. was established. US Navy contractor flights to and from the firing range currently depart daily from Palm Beach International Airport. The Bahamas Underwater Range and related West Palm activities are major employers and bring government scientific assets to the region.
Worth Lake coves ensure all-weather access for ocean-going vessels, making the port uniquely qualified for an expanding high-tech maritime sector. There are no US port facilities in similar locations. We need to do more with our excellent marine locations to build world-class marine locations, including research institutes, specialized submersible sites, and university programs in marine science.
Many US and foreign jurisdictions provide local tax incentives for new technology employment. Perhaps Palm Beach County should consider whether it would be desirable to establish a new county “wage credit” that provides partial credit for specifically qualified new marine research facilities.
A few years ago, Palm Beach established a number of local incentives for biotech clusters. I believe marine technology has better prospects for job growth in our county compared to the pharmaceutical/biotech sector.
Our future prospects are clearly better if we engage in the world of advanced marine technology. Let’s get to work.
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W. Bradford Gary of Palm Beach is Director of the Southern Ocean Research Company.
