PortMiami completes Deep Dredge

Big Ships Welcome now reads the sign on Biscayne Boulevard leading to Port Miami. On September 18, Port Miami officially announced the completion of its main harbor channel dredge from 42 feet to 52 feet deep.

Port Miami is now the only port of call south of Virginia ready to accept the larger Post-Panamax ships. New gantry cranes can now service ships 22 containers wide and reach 11 containers below the ship deck and 9 containers above it. The dredging was the final component of $1 billion of infrastructure upgrades to Port Miami including the Port Miami Tunnel, new gantry cranes, and intermodal improvements.

Read the release from FL Governor Rick Scott here

Read the release from Miami Dade County here

US-Cuba relations update

US Department of the Treasury and Department of Commerce published amendments to further clarify President Obama’s 2014 announcement of the easing of Cuba Sanctions, click for release

President Obama briefly met with Cuban President Castro at the United Nations in New York click for the article in the New York Times

Carnival announces Miami to Cuba cruises for Spring 2016, the humanitarian themed cruise stops in Havana, Cienfuegos, and Santiago de Cuba click for the article on FoxNews

Miami Archbishop Wenski deems Pope Francis’ ’emotional trip’ to Cuba a success click for the article in Miami Herald

Gazitua family reflects on Papal Pilgrimage to Cuba

WTDC President & CEO Ralph L. Gazitua and Vice President Sean P. Gazitua traveled with their family to Havana, Cuba, as part of the Archdiocese of Miami pilgrimage to see Pope Francis. They visited Iglesia de Jesús de Miramar, as pictured below, and we’re honored to be among those seated at the Mass celebrated by Pope Francis in Plaza de la Revolución, Havana, Cuba. Click here to see photos from their trip

Exporting from the United States for International Trade Professionals

Date/Time: Thursday, October 8, 2015

Presentation – 9:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M 

Address: Miami Free Zone

2305 N.W. 107TH AVE,
CONFERENCE ROOM 2M10, Miami, FL 33172

Trade with Cuba is a central focus of Becker & Poliakoff’s monthly compliance seminar. WTDC’s President & CEO Ralph L. Gazitua is part of a great lineup of speakers including Jonathan Barnes, Special Agent for U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security, Jay Brickman, VP Government Services for Crowley Maritime Corp., Jennifer Ahrens, Corporate/Compliance Officer for Robertson Forwarding Company, and Jennifer R. Diaz, Shareholder of Becker & Poliakoff.

Register for the event here

Join the CSCMP Roundtable on Cuba

Date/Time: Thursday, November 12th, 2015

Dinner – 5:45 P.M – 6:45 P.M.   

Presentation – 7:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M 

Address: Nova Southeastern University

Carl DeSantis Building

3301 College Avenue

Davie, Florida 33314

Join Ralph L Gazitua, President and CEO of WTDC and Dan Gardner, President of Trade Facilitators, Inc. for an evening’s discussion on the fantastic business opportunities that are emerging in Cuba. During the event, Dan Gardner will provide an update on U.S. trade regulations with Cuba, and Ralph Gazitua will share his recent on-the-ground experiences in developing commercial opportunities there.

Points to be covered during this one-of-a-kind panel discussion include: Benefits from the trade policy changes Export license exceptions Current opportunities between Cuba and the U.S. The future of business relations for the U.S. and Cuba.

Register through the website of Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) here