Port Canaveral focuses on Cuba for cruises, trade

Port Canaveral focuses on Cuba for cruises, trade
Dave Berman, FLORIDA TODAY 6:26 p.m. EST January 21, 2015

Port Canaveral seeks to start 'building relationships' in Cuba for
future cruises, trade

Port Canaveral sees Cuba as a future market for both cargo and cruise
business
Three port representatives will be part of a group visiting Cuba next month
The port's CEO said cruise lines are always looking for new ports to
offer frequent customers
At the same time, the port is gearing up its overall cargo operations
for growth

Port Canaveral officials are starting to focus on Cuba as a future
market for both cargo and cruise business.

Three port representatives will be part of a group of about 50 local
residents visiting Cuba next month as part of an educational tour
organized by Chamber Explorations, a California-based organization.

While the port officials can't make business deals under current trade
restrictions with Cuba, there's no saying they can't tell the people
they visit in Cuba about the port and the Space Coast, according to
Canaveral Port Authority Chairman Jerry Allender, who is among those
going on the trip.

"We'll be doing whatever we can to try to represent Port Canaveral,"
Allender said. "There's great potential for Port Canaveral for doing
business in the future" in Cuba, considering President Obama's support
for easing trade and travel restrictions involving Cuba.

"We're getting our feet wet" by "building relationships" in Cuba, Port
Canaveral Chief Executive Officer John Walsh told port commissioners on
Wednesday.

"It's fertile ground," Port Commissioner Wayne Justice said.

Walsh concedes, though, that the time frame for cruise or cargo ships
sailing from Port Canaveral to Cuba is "anybody's guess."

Currently, only food and "humanitarian aid" can be shipped from the
United States to Cuba, in certain limited circumstances, and Port
Canaveral is not involved in those shipments.

Walsh said cruise lines are always looking for new ports of call to
offer their frequent customers. He said Cuba has three potential cruise
locations that could provide cruisers with three different experiences —
if cruise lines are allowed to stop there.

"It's a beautiful island," Walsh said. "For us and the cruise lines, it
would be phenomenal."

Joining Allender on the trip to Cuba will be Jim Dubea, Port Canaveral's
deputy executive director for government and strategic partnerships, and
Alberto Cabrera, the port's senior director of cargo business development.

"I know the potential there," said Cabrera, who previously visited Cuba
when he worked for a shipping company called Trailer Bridge.

"We need to be informed" about the current status of the Cuban economy
and where there may be opportunities for the port, Cabrera said.

On the cargo end, Cabrera said, that could mean opportunities for
exports to Cuba of everything from construction and agricultural
equipment to food and clothing.

The potential easing of trade restrictions with Cuba comes at a time the
port is gearing up its overall cargo operations for growth.

Port commissioners on Wednesday finalized their deal with GT USA to
lease and operate a cargo terminal at the port, confirming an initial
deal announced in June.

Peter Richards, managing director of the Gulftainer Group of Companies,
said he expects the company's GT USA operations to begin in April.

Port Canaveral also will be the headquarters for GT USA's North and
South American operations.

Richards said GT USA will employ 50 to 100 people at Port Canaveral for
its local cargo container operations, depending on business volume, and
20 others will be based there as part of the corporate staff.

Users of the container terminal will ship "anything from foodstuffs to
electronics," Richards said.

Port Canaveral, with expanded container operations, including the
addition of two special container cranes, is becoming more attractive to
cargo shippers, Richards said. The port also offers relatively easy
channel access from the ocean, a deep channel bottom that can
accommodate large cargo ships, and access to the lucrative Central
Florida market.

Richards deferred on estimating how much cargo business will increase at
Port Canaveral.

"The proof will be in the pudding," Richards said.


PORT OFFICERS ELECTED

Canaveral Port Authority commissioners unanimously elected the following
officers on Wednesday:

Chairman: Jerry Allender, the former vice chairman

Vice chairman: John "Hank" Evans

Secretary/treasurer: Tom Weinberg, the former chairman

Source: Port Canaveral focuses on Cuba for cruises, trade -
<http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2015/01/21/port-canaveral-starts-focus-cuba-cruises-trade/22126829/>