The Port of Big Bend lies on Florida's western shores on Tampa Bay. It is about 9 nautical miles (14 kilometers or 9 miles by air) east-southeast of the Port of Tampa and 12 nautical miles (22 kilometers or 14 miles by air) east-northeast of the Port of St. Petersburg. The nearest city to the Port of Big Bend is Apollo Beach, an unincorporated town of just over 14 thousand residents.

The Port of Big Bend is governed by the Tampa Port Authority, which is charged with making the most of seaborne commerce and supporting regional economies. The Port of Big Bend is considered to be a part of the Port of Tampa, a world leader in shipping fertilizer products around the world and fuels for regional distribution. Container cargoes are the Port of Tampa's fastest-growing segment.

The Port of Big Bend contains the Mosaic Phosphates Company's Big Bend Terminal Dock. Owned and operated by Mosaic Phosphates, this Port of Big Bend dock is used to ship wet phosphate rock and super-phosphate. This Port of Big Bend dock occasionally ships phosphoric acid as well. One surface rail track that can service 30 cars per hour links the dock to a receiving pit at the storage building at the rear of the dock. The rail also connects with CSX Transportation, Inc.

The Port of Big Bend's Terminal Dock for the Mosaic Phosphates Company has a storage building for timber with capacity for 32 thousand tons of super-phosphate. The building is served by rail- and truck-receiving pits. An electric belt conveyor moves cargo from the railcar dumper to an open storage area. Two pipelines connect the dock to six phosphoric-acid storage tanks with total capacity for 8.5 million gallons. This Port of Big Bend dock has berthing space of 457.2 meters (1500 feet) with alongside depth of 10.7 meters (35 feet).

The Tampa Electric Company owns and operates the Port of Big Bend Station Coal Wharf which receives coal for consumption by power plants. A surface rail track serves the power plant at the rear of the wharf and connects with CSX Transportation. At the lower end of this Port of Big Bend wharf, tugs moor at a steel-pile steel-decked wharf. At the rear of the wharf are open storage areas with total capacity for 500 thousand tons of coal. The Port of Big Bend Station Coal Wharf has berthing space of 240.2 meters (788 feet) with alongside depth of 10.4 meters (34 feet).

Tampa Electric also owns and operates the Port of Big Bend Station Oil Dock that occasionally receives number two fuel oil for the power plant at the rear of the dock. A surface rail track serves the power plant and connects with CSX Transportation. One pipeline connects this Port of Big Bend dock to two steel storage tanks at the power plant with total capacity for 115 thousand barrels. The Port of Big Bend Station Oil Dock has berthing space of 55 meters (180 feet) with alongside depth of 4.6 meters (15 feet).

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