advertisement

---

Yesterday, Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed two bills that prioritize investments in key transportation projects, including improvements to the state’s 14 ports.

Funding initiatives will enable the private sector to invest in port projects, state officials said in a prepared statement. Funds available for the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Program will be increased from $8 million to $15 million, they said.

In addition, the state created two programs to increase port investments: the Strategic Port Investment Initiative within the Florida Department of Transportation, which will provide a minimum of $35 million annually from the State Transportation Trust Fund; and the Intermodal Logistics Center Infrastructure Support Program, which will provide $5 million annually for roads, rail or other transportation modes used to move goods through a port.

The port improvements will ensure the facilities are prepared to benefit from the anticipated international trade generated by the Panama Canal expansion, ratified free trade agreements, and growing economies of Central and South America, state officials said.

Meanwhile, two southern California ports reported opposite volume results for May. Total container traffic at the Port of Long Beach dropped 7.2 percent to 497,892 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) compared with May 2011 volume.

Imports fell 9.2 percent to 249,937 TEUs, exports slipped 0.8 percent to 129,083 TEUs and empty container moves declined 9.6 percent to 118,872 TEUs.

“As we enter the cargo peak season in the latter summer months, some business is returning to the port, however,” port officials said in a monthly volume summary. “Three new strings of vessels from Asia began calling on Long Beach in late May. Combined, the three services are expected to add as much as 500,000 TEUs through the remainder of the calendar year.”

Meanwhile, the Port of Los Angeles’ total container volume rose 5.5 percent to 731,353 TEUs compared with May 2011 volume. Imports increased 2.7 percent to 370,721 TEUs, exports inched up 0.5 percent to 185,107 TEUs, totaled loaded volume rose 1.9 percent to 555,829 TEUs and total empty container volume jumped 18.9 percent to 175,524 TEUs.