When port supporters talk about gearing Florida up for the anticipated growth of shipping due to the widening of the Panama Canal, ground zero is Port of Miami.
The attention has been on the $77 million that Gov. Rick Scott directed toward the dredging of the harbor to capture the super freighters expected to stream through a widened Panama Canal starting in 2014.
But that work is only one of three major projects that have been in the works for more than a decade at the cargo and cruise hotspot.
There is also a $50 million project to repair the rail lines from the port to the Florida East Coast Railway and digging the $1 billion Port of Miami tunnel.
The state has highlighted the port as the primary competition for the Port of Virginia in Norfolk and Savannah, which already is the terminal for a large portion of the goods that are brought to Florida.
There are naysayers who do not understand the dynamics associated with the expansion of the Panama Canal and the coming shift in trade patterns once the expanded canal opens in 2014, said Port of Miami Director of Public Affairs Paula Musto. The 'doubting Toms' do not share our vision -- but I firmly believe that the state can move into first place nationwide when it comes to international trade and commerce.
Florida port supporters see the state as the natural maritime crossroads for both north-south trade between the Americas and the growing east-west trade that uses the Panama and Suez canals between the United States and Asia.
Along with the dredging, the rail and trucking connections are being upgraded at the port that is projected to increase its cargo tonnage from 7.39 million to 11.7 million by 2014.
At the same time, the port expects to increase cruise passengers from 4.15 million a year to 4.35 million.
Jobs: 176,000 -- direct and indirectly.
Economic impact: $18 million annually.
Revenue: $101 million in 2009.
Desired growth:
The Port of Miami deep dredge project; the Port of Miami tunnel; port to rail; superpost-Panamax gantry cranes.
Cost: Dredging -- underway -- $220 million; Miami tunnel -- underway -- $1 billion; port to rail -- $50 million; post-Panamax gantry cranes -- underway -- $52 million.
Hindrances to growth:
Money; Port of Savannah and other East Coast port competition; ritzy Fisher Island homeowners questioning the impact of dredging on the enclave's seawall; environmentalists concerned about attracting larger ships into Biscayne Bay; and taxpayer groups have expressed concern the tunnel may become South Floridas version of Bostons $26 billion Big Dig, creating rather than easing traffic on MacArthur Causeway.
Seven questions with Paula J. Musto, Port of Miami director of public affairs:
SSN: Where does the port view itself in the footprint of Gov. Scott's dream to attract more growth from the Panama Canal expansion?
Musto: The Port of Miami plays an integral role in support of Gov. Scotts vision to boost Floridas economy through the growth of international trade and commerce.As noted in the Florida Trade and Logistics Study, the state of Florida faces a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform its economy by becoming a global hub for trade, logistics, and export-oriented manufacturing activities.The Port of Miami, which will be one of only three Eastern Seaboard ports to be at minus 50 feet when the expanded Panama Canal opens in 2014, is a key component to growing international trade and commerce.
SSN: What is the desired growth in the next five to 20 years for the port?
Musto: The Port of Miami has established an ambitious -- but very doable goal -- to double its cargo traffic over the next decade.
SSN: What will it take to reach this growth?
Musto: The Port of Miami has invested more than $2 billion in infrastructure projects now under way that support future growth. A 'trio' of major projects include: the new tunnel that will connect the port directly to the interstate system; the deepening of the ports channel to minus 50 feet; and the reintroduction of on-port rail with links to the national railway system.
SSN: What ports and entities are offering the most competition to attract this trade?
Musto: A primary competitor is the Port of Savannah. However, with our new on-port rail links -- in partnership with Florida East Coast Railway -- we can outperform our competitors when it comes to the all-important factor of 'time to market.' With the Port of Miami-FEC connection, shippers can reach over 70 percent of the population with a maximum of a three- to four-day transit time.
SSN: What is Florida doing to counter this competition?
Musto: Through the Florida Ports Council, Floridas 14 deepwater ports are unified in marketing Florida as a logistics center.
SSN: Who are the biggest champions of the port?
Musto: Certainly, Governor Rick Scott heads the list, along with economic development agencies such as Enterprise Florida and the Florida Chamber of Commerce. Locally, the Beacon Council and the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce have been powerful allies, along with Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez and the Board of County Commissioners.
SSN: What and who are some of the biggest hurdles facing the port's expansion?
Musto: There are naysayers who do not understand the dynamics associated with the expansion of the Panama Canal and the coming shift in trade patterns once the expanded canal opens in 2014. The 'doubting Toms' do not share our vision -- but I firmly believe that the state can move into first place nationwide when it comes to international trade and commerce. Key to this is capturing a larger share of the containerized imports originating in Asia. We can emerge as a global hub for trade and investment, leveraging our location on north-south and east-west trade lanes to become the major point for processing, assembly and shipping of goods to markets throughout the Eastern U.S., Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean.
The first installment of this series: "Port Canaveral Bulking Cargo and Cruise Passengers" can be found here.
The second: "Port Backers Offer Vision to Make Florida the Global Hub" can be found here.
The third: "Gateway to the Caribbean Seeks Inland Expansion can be found here.
(This is the fourth in a weekly series with port directors in Florida.)
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859 or (772) 215-9889.
