PortMiami supports events held in the community as well as provides opportunities to visit and tour the Port via the PortMiami Tour program. The Port tours educate our residents and visitors about Port operations, the intricacies of global trade and the economic impact that PortMiami has as the 2nd largest economic engine in Miami-Dade County. The tours are open to consular and trade offices and economic development agencies as well as our partners in programs with local schools and institutions of higher learning as well as industry advocacy groups.

PortMiami, as a participating member of Florida National University's (FNU) POWERHOUSE and the Dr. Jose Regueiro Foundation was proud to participate in Florida National University's collective Human Trafficking Awareness Walk that took place Wednesday, January 18th, 2017. Demonstrations like this are important for this very significant and life- saving initiative! By jointly creating awareness among our children, youth and adults, we will unequivocally diminish the number of victims, and consequently, Florida can lose its status of being the 3rd State in our Nation with having the most incidents of these horrendous  crimes.

19 MBA students and 1 Professor from Universidad ESAN, Peru attending a 1 week non-credit study program in International Business at Florida International University, visited PortMiami on Thursday, September 22, 2016. Mr. Sebastian Yavar, Cargo Development and Mr.  Dwight Edwards, Business Development and Marketing hosted the group as they received a comprehensive overview of PortMiami, with a focus on its Cargo operations.

On September 19, 2016, PortMiami provided a guided tour to students and professors of the University of Miami Master of International Business Studies program. Students were provided a comprehensive overview of both the cruise and cargo sectors of PortMiami business operations with a focus on impact of international trade in the current maritime environment.

On September 19, 2016, PortMiami provided a guided tour to approximately 14 students and 2 professors of the International Trade and Commerce program from la Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion of Paraguay. Students were provided an overview of both the cruise and cargo sectors of PortMiami business operations.

On August 29th PortMiami Deputy Director Kevin Lynskey and Port of Xiamen Deputy Director Genera Qui Nengshui signed an International Sister Seaports Agreement for the exchange of information pertaining to the cargo and cruise industries in each port; historical statistical information pertaining to each; planned seaport infrastructure developments, and; general marketing research, aimed at increasing cruise and cargo traffic at PortMiami and Port of Xiamen, China.

On Friday July 22nd, 2016 PortMiami had the distinct pleasure of hosting youth from the Amitofo Care Center (ACC). The Amitofo Care Center (ACC) is a non-profit and charitable organization founded by Taiwanese Buddhist Monk, Venerable Master Huei-Li. For the past 25 years the center has built orphanages to raise and educate these children. For the past ten years, ACC has built orphanages and affiliated schools in Malawi (Blantyre), Lesotho, and Swaziland, respectively. The construction of the Namibia orphanage was completed in the autumn of 2015 and is pending government permission to operate. Three more orphanages are being built at Dondo in Mozambique, Lilongwe in Malawi, and Mandela View in South Africa. Currently 900 orphans live at the three orphanages currently operating and its affiliated schools. There are about 238 children in Lesotho, 149 in Swaziland and 453 in Malawi. 20 orphans from these three orphanages are currently studying in Taiwan universities.

The International Longshoremen's Association Local 1416 will be celebrating its 80th Anniversary on Tuesday, August 9, 2016. The celebration will be held at the Ninth Street Pedestrian Mall, adjacent to the Historic Lyric Theater on N.W. 9th Street and NW. 2nd Ave. in Miami, Florida between 10 AM - 6 PM. The community is welcome as the ILA is excited to announce they we will be distributing backpacks to children in the community. The ILA encourages everyone to come out and help them celebrate their organizational impact of being a positive influence in the community for 80 years. Join in for a fun- filled day of food, music and performances by several community youth groups as well as renowned Gospel and R & B entertainers. There will also be a surprise guest artist performing, so please come out and celebrate the ILA’s 80th Anniversary and show your support.

Friday June 24th, 2016 PortMiami had the honor to host President Tsai from the Republic of China – Taiwan. Port director and CEO Juan Kuryla in his remarks noted the importance of this visit in light of President Tsai’s historic election last May. Director Kuryla also highlighted the wonderful relationship that PortMiami maintained with Evergreen Shipping Line and Yang Ming Marine Corporation, two of Taiwan’s shipping companies. It is a partnership that PortMiami expects will grow significantly with the opening of the expanded Panama Canal.

In photo from left to right: PortMiami Director and CEO Juan Kuryla, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and Representative Stanley Kao.

In Miami, Charlotte leaders get a glimpse at major seaport and competing airport:
 
The Charlotte Chamber hosted a delegation to visit Miami's airport and seaport as part of the Chamber's annual intercity visit on Wednesday June 22, 2016. The Charlotte Chamber hosted a delegation to visit Miami's airport and seaport as part of the Chamber's annual intercity visit on Wednesday.  Charlotte is used to thinking about its airport hub as the region’s most important economic asset, and the airport’s rail freight yard as the next big thing. A delegation of more than 100 business and political leaders from Charlotte traveled to Miami on Wednesday for the Charlotte Chamber’s annual intercity visit, when leaders visit another city to learn about growth strategies and pitfalls.

In photo from left to right: Eric Olafson, Manager, Trade Development and FTZ 281 PortMiami, Jennifer Roberts, Mayor of Charlotte, NC, Debra Owens, Director, Government and International Relations PortMiami and Arnold Donald, CEO Carnival Cruise Lines.

On June 2nd, 2016, PortMiami, in partnership with the Beacon Council and Miami Free Zone hosted a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) workshop at Terminal E to provide information on the advantages of becoming an FTZ operator. The event highlighted the rapid growth of FTZ’s in Miami-Dade County and illustrated the cost savings and advantages that are directly related to participating in the FTZ program. The purpose of today’s conference is to add new users to the FTZ program, which will directly promote the growth of jobs and trade in South Florida. Participants included representatives of Foreign Trade Zones 32, 166 and 281 as well as Customs & Border Patrol, World City, Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg and Miami Free Zone.

PortMiami welcomed participants of the Port Security Management Seminar organized by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and the Secretariat of the Inter-American Committee on Ports (S/CIP) of the Organization of American States (OAS) for a tour of the port. 

Mr. Juan M. Kuryla, PPM, Port Director & Chief Executive Officer of PortMiami, inducted into 5000 Role Models of Excellence Mentoring program at 2016 23rd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Breakfast, held at Jungle Island on Monday, Jan. 18, 2016. More than 500 students and community leaders to fundraise for college scholarships for the graduating seniors.

Founded in 1993 by former Miami-Dade School Board member Frederica Wilson, the drop-out prevention program for at-risk minority youth serves 8,000 students ages 9-19 in Miami-Dade Schools, and has opened chapters in Pinellas and Duval counties. Students meet weekly with their mentors —from CEOs and college presidents to lawyers and fighter fighters — attend symposiums, visit college campuses and engage in community service. Wilson Scholars have participated in the program since ninth grade, display academic achievement and have attended a summer program at Miami Dade College.

The program’s success is clear: over 95 percent graduate from high school. 

PortMiami and its partners celebrated the inauguration of the International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1416 Fifth President Mr. Ellis Canty. Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez, other elected officials, PortMiami Director/CEO Juan M. Kuryla and national labor leaders were on hand to mark the momentous occasion. Mayor Gimenez thanked Mr. Canty and the ILA for their continuous commitment and collaboration which has been key to growing the Port business.