Florida Seaport System Plan - SeaCIP

Florida Seaport System Plan
and given seaports the opportunity to regroup and strategize on medium to
long-term investment needs. At the national level, the next Federal
transportation bill is anticipated to have a more robust freight program – that is,
the potential for a freight funding element to support state freight programs.
Florida needs to position itself to be eligible for this potential new program.
From an operations and competitiveness perspective, security remains a critical
challenge for Florida’s seaports. With both state and Federal regulations in
place, some level of redundancy exists, which continues to place Florida
seaports at a competitive disadvantage with other states and countries.
At the international level, there are several developments that will impact
Florida’s ports.
• Panama Canal expansion. The expansion of the Panama Canal, with
completion anticipated in 2014, will open new doors for trading with
Asia with increased use of the “all water route.” Florida ports are
competing with Gulf and Atlantic seaports in other states for this
increase in traffic. Deep water, terminal capacity, and landside
intermodal connectivity are critical.
• Opening of trade with Cuba. The much anticipated opening of trade
with Cuba will create significant trade opportunities for Florida that no
other state has due to Florida’s close proximity and cultural ties to this
country.
• Increased use of Suez Canal. The Suez Canal provides another
gateway for waterborne trade to reach Florida. The Suez does not have
any size restrictions on for existing or planned mega vessels. The use
of this canal will continue to expand as global trade patterns shift.
• Shifts in global manufacturing centers. Global trade is driven by the
location of manufacturing centers. These centers shift over time based
on cost, resources, efficiencies, and labor. Shifts will impact the
competitiveness of Pacific versus Atlantic trade routes which will
create new competitive opportunities for U.S. ports.
• Growth in North/South trade. Florida is dominant in North/South
trade with the Caribbean, Central, and South America. Over the next
decade, this market, particularly that of South America, is anticipated to
grow significantly, offering continued opportunities for growth at
Florida ports.
Seaport System Needs, Strategies, and Funding
Florida’s seaports update their capital improvement plans (CIPs) regularly to
identify and assess future improvements necessary to meet potential market
demands. Despite the current economic conditions, the five-year CIPs for
Florida Department of Transportation
December 2010
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