26th Annual State-of-the-Ports
Miami Airport Convention, Bill Johnson, Miami-Dade County Aviation Director Jose Abreu
Jose Abreu, Miami-Dade County Aviation Director
1300 people crowded the Miami Airport Convention Center on Wednesday, Feb. 18, for the XXVI State-of-the-Ports. PortMiami Director Bill Johnson and Miami-Dade County Aviation Director Jose Abreu announced how the Ports fared in 2012 and what can be expected for 2013 and beyond.
PortMiami Director Bill Johnson addressed the Port’s preparations for the new Panama Canal channel opening in 2015. PortMiami anticipates doubling the amount of TEUs it handles annually by 2020, and a number of infrastructure projects are already in progress to facilitate that volume: Deep Dredge to 50 feet, Port Tunnel, new cranes, and the FEC rail spur which will connect PortMiami to 70% of the country by rail in four days.
PortMiami is also the ‘Cruise Capital of the World’ and Johnson highlighted the new cruise lines that will call Miami home: Disney, MSC, and Regent Seven Seas. Additionally, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity will all launch their premierships from PortMiami.
Miami International Airport now has more international flights than any airport in the country, and Miami-Dade County Aviation Director Jose Abreu focused his address on Miami’s tremendous international growth and the development of Airport City. Airport City will have a business park and hotels, all on-site at MIA.
WTDC CEO Ralph Gazitua, Jose Abreu, Miami-Dade County Aviation Director
Ralph L. Gazitua, WTDC President & CEO, pictured with Jose Abreu, Miami-Dade County Aviation Director