Friday, December 27, 2013

Port Strategy - Chanting a mantra

Great article on the east coast frenzy to expand and deepen port facilities as the Panama Canal is widened. But it may not turn into the economic punch that everyone seems to expect. This jives with noted Florida economist Bill Stronge's view that port expansion here will not mean much to the big picture, which is contrary to Governor Scott's view of the future. Click here to listen to the episode of High Noon in Lake Worth when I hosted Dr. Stronge as a guest. Click title for link to article, here are the last two paragraphs.
Florida is pushing to become the most important state in the country for maritime business, with its governor as one of the main proponents. Miami's Mr Johnson is a strong believer in this, partly because the population will surpass that of New York within the next 10 years.
Such a notion is derided as “fanciful” by an industry executive. “All the shippers I have spoken to say there is no way they are going to put their distribution facilities down there. And they are building these huge facilities for the really big vessels that are not going to call there. They boast of their trade with South America, but the vessels on that route will stay at 6,000 teu-8,000 teu maximum for the next 20 years.