Volumes Continue Growing at Florida Seaports

Florida Ports Council Cargo volumes and cruise activity continue increasing at Florida Seaports as the waterborne international and domestic cargo in fiscal year 2015/2016 experienced a rise of 4.2 percent, from 103 to 107.4 million tons. While Floridas container cargo tonnage grew 4 percent and 20 TEUs grew by 0.9 percent, dry bulk grew by 1.8 percent, and liquid bulk by 5.8 percent. The fiscal year witnessed a total of 15.5 million passengers cruise from Floridas ports, up 1.4 percent from the previous fiscal year. Eight out of eleven of the states cargo ports increased tonnage, the Florida Ports Council informed in its Florida Seaports: High Performance – 2017-2021 Five-Year Florida Seaport Mission Plan. Some other highlights of the 2017-2021 plan include USD 50.1 billion in value of containerized cargo moved, representing a 6.4 percent increase, 3.5 million TEUs handled, and USD 2.8 billion programmed in improvements over the next five years. Florida seaports have demonstrated three straight years of growth in total cargo tonnage, including an increase of 4.2 percent in 2015/2016. This is in addition to a strong cruise sector, where Florida continues to be home to the top three cruise ports in the world, Doug Wheeler, president and CEO of the Florida Ports Council, said.