Port Director highlights importance of business with Caribbean

(MIAMI, May 14, 2014) – PortMiami Director, Juan M. Kuryla, addressed the audience at this morning’s Caribbean Shipping Executives’ Conference with a presentation entitled, PortMiami – Looking at the Caribbean.

Mr. Kuryla highlighted the importance of the entire Caribbean region to PortMiami and spoke of plans for future trade expansion with the region. Currently, the Caribbean constitutes approximately 12% of the Port’s total trade. The Americas and the Caribbean together make up 54.3% of PortMiami’s total trade.

“Caribbean countries are some of the most valuable trade partners we have at PortMiami and the opportunity to speak with all of the region’s most important players means a lot to me and to the Port as a whole,” said Mr. Kuryla. “I am very pleased with the exchanges and information gained over these last few days.”

Mr. Kuryla also took the opportunity to share statistics and emphasize the volume of trade between PortMiami and its top Caribbean trading countries:  Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Grand Cayman, Haiti and Jamaica. In addition, the presentation included an overview of Port safety and security, including a Memorandum of Understanding signed last summer between PortMiami and the U.S. State Department that outlines the sharing of law enforcement best practices with Caribbean ports.

The three-day conference, hosted in collaboration with the Caribbean Shipping Association, ends today and was attended by executives in the shipping industry from the Caribbean, Latin America, North America and Europe. Highlights included seminars, networking events, and discussions on topics ranging from new and existing trade opportunities in the Caribbean, to port security, to the effect of invasive species on cargo and vessels.

About PortMiami
PortMiami is among America's busiest ports and recognized across the globe with the dual distinction of being the Cruise Capital of the World and the Cargo Gateway of the Americas. PortMiami contributes more than $27 billion annually to the South Florida economy and helps provide direct and indirect employment for more than 207,000. For more information please visit www.miamidade.gov/portmiami.