Miami Anchors The Industry

Three Port Harmony
“What makes Miami special is the logistical availability to reach the entire world to and from this one location,” emphasizes Frank A. Ramos, president of The Perishable Specialist Inc., a licensed customs broker in Miami. “Miami truly is the Gateway of the Americas—it makes the world feel smaller!”

And while cargo sometimes shifts from PortMiami to Port Everglades or vice versa, Ramos says the two popular seaports rarely, if ever, lose cargo to other ports. “I think the industry finds itself wanting to bring more into Miami instead of getting out of Miami,” he adds. Further, he notes: “We are blessed to see such good volume in fruit and vegetable cargo arriving into PortMiami and Port Everglades.”

Among Florida’s seaports, Port Everglades ranks at the top for international trade in bananas, melons, and other perishables, with much of its refrigerated imports destined for local South Florida consumers. Annually, Port Everglades processes upwards of 120,000 refrigerated shipping containers carrying fresh produce and other perishables.

About 80 miles north of downtown Miami, the Port of Palm Beach is primarily an export hub, with over three-quarters of its cargo sent to destinations across the globe. An essential lifeline to the Caribbean, the Port supplies 60 percent of everything consumed in the Bahamas. More than $4 billion in commodities moves through the Port of Palm Beach each year.

PortMiami, Florida’s number two seaport for the perishables trade, is the closest U.S. port to Latin America and the Caribbean. This proximity offers produce importers and exporters the advantage of shorter shipping times and extended shelf life.

One of the top container ports in the Sunshine State, PortMiami moved an estimated 980,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in 2015—its highest throughput in more than a decade. The port contributes $28 billion annually to the local economy and supports more than 207,000 jobs in South Florida.

Patricia Compres, CEO of Advance Customs Brokers & Consulting, LLC, says she’s seen a significant uptick in Miami area produce imports. “This year has been excellent with increases in imports of citrus, pineapple, blueberries, okra, and tropicals,” she says.

A New Era for PortMiami
PortMiami recently completed capital improvements in excess of $1 billion, transforming the seaport into an international trade powerhouse.

In September 2015, PortMiami announced the completion of its ‘Deep Dredge’ project, which increased the Port’s channel depth to more than 50 feet. As a result, it is now the only major logistics hub south of Virginia capable of accommodating the super-sized vessels that were previously too large to pass through the canal.

As part of the massive expansion project, PortMiami added a new fast-access port tunnel, offering direct access from the port to the U.S. interstate highway system. The port also invested $50 million in the modernization of its on-dock freight rail system, creating a connection to the national railway system.