Florida Seaport System Plan - SeaCIP

Florida Seaport System Plan
percent capture” scenario, they grow at 10.5 percent over the next ten years.
Export containers are not impacted, and continue to grow but at a slower rate
than import containers.
Interestingly, under the “25 percent capture” scenario, the total container
growth rate (imports plus exports) is 3.7 percent through 2020, which is nearly
identical to the 3.6 percent container growth rate from the recession-adjusted
Florida port projections. This suggests that the projections, which again were
derived from the ports, already included an assumption that some additional
Asian trade would be captured. This makes sense, as recent and planned
improvements at Port Everglades, Port of Jacksonville, Port of Miami, Port of
Tampa, and other ports are explicitly targeting this cargo opportunity.
There are many other scenarios to consider. On the upside, Florida might be
successful in achieving a “50 percent capture” rather than a “25 percent
capture” of import Asian containers. It might be successful in growing its
export container trade, with existing trading partners and/or possibly with new
trading partners such as Cuba. It might be successful in developing domestic
“Marine Highway” container trade routes. These are important possibilities to
consider, but on balance, the recession-adjusted Florida port projection is seen
as representing a reasonable “most likely” scenario for planning purposes.
4.3 Critical Issues, Opportunities, and Challenges
Looking forward, it is generally agreed that Florida’s ports face a series of
critical issues, opportunities, and challenges. Critical issues are summarized in
Table 4.3 below.
Over the next few years there will be significant developments in the state,
national, and international environments that will create opportunities and
challenges for Florida’s seaports. At the state level, the transportation system’s
needs and priorities should be reevaluated as the economic recovery begins and
implementation of the 2060 Florida Transportation Plan (FTP) gets underway.
Reduced volumes have created excess capacity 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. Within Florida Statute 311.12, the Florida
Seaport Security Assessment 2000 and the resulting Port Security Standards—
Compliance Plan established a set of requirements for Florida’s 14 deepwater
seaports. These requirements in general exceeded those imposed by other
states. In 2002, (following September 11, 2001), the Federal government
imposed similar requirements on all seaports in the U.S. through passage of the
Florida Department of Transportation 4-14
December 2010