The Florida Ports Council released the 2013-2017 Five-Year Florida Seaport Mission Plan, providing updated figures on international trade, economic impact, and cargo and cruise activity at Florida’s seaports.
Governor Scott said, “ The Florida Ports Council report demonstrates the significance of Florida ports to job creation. With more than 680,000 jobs supported by ports – we’ve made building up the infrastructure at Florida’s ports a top priority. In the last three years, taxpayers have invested $425 million in our ports to take advantage of the benefits of trade with Central and South America, and to prepare our state for the expansion of the Panama Canal. The more we grow and enhance our ports, the more Florida will flourish as a central trading destination for global commerce, which ultimately means more jobs for Florida families .”
“The story revealed in these numbers is that Florida seaports are continuing their role as critical economic engines for their communities and for the state, ” said Doug Wheeler, president and CEO of the Florida Ports Council . “ With the recent strategic investments by the Governor and Legislature, we expect those numbers to continue to grow and bolster Florida’s economy overall.”
Deepening the waterways is a top concern for many Florida ports as there are opportunities at hand that may be lost if dredging is delayed any longer at the federal level. To expedite projects for which money hasn’t been appropriated due to the sluggish mcandcrings in Washington, the state of Florida and its ports are digging into their own pockets to fund work that has always been a federal responsibility.
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Press Release, May 15, 2013