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Trade

International Trade

Palm Beach County's strategic location is ideal for trade, as it is centrally located between Miami and Orlando, and within easy reach of all of the major air and sea ports in the state of Florida. Palm Beach County is part of the Miami Customs District, utilized by much of Latin America and the Caribbean as the first destination for goods to be distributed to the rest of the United States and Europe, and vice versa. Increasingly, many Asian firms are also using the Miami Customs District to ship goods for similar purposes, with China becoming one of the region's top five trading partners.

The importance of the region for international trade is reflected by the Miami Customs District accounting for a large portion of the total international trade that occurs for the State of Florida. The Miami Customs District had the largest trade surplus -- $19.6 billion more in exports than imports -- among all 59 U.S. Customs Districts in 2008.

(Source: http://www.eflorida.com/uploadedFiles/Floridas_Future/2007-2012_Roadmap_to_Floridas_Future/2009_Progress_Report/2009_SPPR.pdf)

According to the United States Department of Commerce and the United States International Trade Commission, 64.3% of the total exports for the State of Florida in 2005 and 65.1% in 2006 were through one of the ports in the Miami Customs District.

Palm Beach County has a state-of-the-art transportation and logistics system that is comprised of an international airport (Palm Beach International) with an integral Federal Inspection Facility, and a seaport with a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ #135). These ports have easy access to the Florida Turnpike and Interstate 95, along with two major railways (FEC and CSX). Furthermore, the Port of Palm Beach District and the State of Florida are investigating the feasibility of developing an inland port close to Lake Okeechobee to expand and enhance South Florida's transportation and logistics industry and to increase the region and Florida's competitiveness in international trade and processing.

Total International Trade for Miami Customs District (Actual Dollars)

   Total Exports   Total Imports  Total Trade  Balance of Trade
 2006 39,615,910,625  32,462,178,219 72,078,088,844  7,153,732,406 
 2007  45,488,817,794 33,633,667,628 79,122,485,422   11,855,150,166

Sources: US Deparment of Commerce International Trade Administration, US International Trade Commission
 

 2006 Total International Trade for Miami Customs District, by Region (Millions of Dollars)
 Region  Exports  Imports  Total  Trade Balance
 Africa 249.42  197.61  447.03  51.81 
      Central Africa  6.08 12.75  18.83  -6.67 
      East Africa  17.07 22.93  40.01  -5.86 
      North Africa 26.35  49.04  75.39  -22.70 
      South Africa  148.27 76.66  224.93  71.61 
      West Africa  51.66 36.22  87.87  15.44 
 Asia 3,715.30  6,891.34  10,606.64  -3,176.04 
      Central Asia  2.17 1.16  3.33  1.00 
      East Asia  3,432.94 5,473.01  8,905.95  -2,040.08 
      North Asia 15.33  140.31  155.64  -124.98 
      South Asia 89.69  311.32  401.01  -221.63 
      Southeast Asia 169.40 964.70  1,134.10  -795.30
      Southwest Asia  5.78 0.84  6.62  4.95 
 Caribbean  7,166.21 3,436.67  10,602.88  3,729.55 
 Central America  7,695.51 5,772.89  13,468.40  1,922.62 
 Europe  2,499.95 7,346.95  9,846.90 -4,847.00
      European Union* 2,329.60  7,034.95  9,364.56  -4,705.35 
      Central Europe  647.87 1,299.27  1,947.13  -651.40 
      East Europe  33.82 171.23  205.06  -137.41 
      North Europe  174.45 384.96  559.41  -210.52 
      South Europe  220.09 1,151.52  1,371.61  -931.43 
      Southeast Europe  23.90 62.20  86.10  -38.30 
      Southwest Europe  309.57 508.30  817.87  -198.73 
      West Europe  1,090.26 3,769.46  4,859.72  -2,679.21 
 Middle East  246.91 516.92  763.82  -270.01 
 North America 946.83  952.44  1,899.00  -5.61 
 Oceania/Australia/New Zealand 73.33  149.45  222.78  -76.12 
 South America 19,680.11  7,197.92  26,878.02  12,482.19 

* The European Union includes 27 member countries in different subregions of Europe, in addition to the French Overseas Departments of French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion, which are located in the regions of the Caribbean and Africa.
Sourcecs: US Department of Commerce International Trade Administration, US International Trade Commission, CIA World Factbook

2007 Total International Trade for Miami Customs District, by Region (Millions of Dollars)
Region Exports Imports Total Trade Balance
Africa 253.11 179.39 432.50 73.72
     Central Africa 2.22 10.58 12.80 -8.36
     East Africa 16.60 20.39 36.99 -3.79
     North Africa 53.48 63.92 117.40 -10.45
     South Africa 121.30 78.97 200.27 42.33
     West Africa 59.52 5.52 65.04 54.00
Asia 1,475.17 7,545.92 9,021.09 -6,070.74
     Central Asia 4.14 1.65 5.79 2.50
     East Asia 1,110.78 5,872.41 6,983.19 -4,761.63
     North Asia 72.72 177.46 250.19 -104.74
     South Asia 66.50 333.84 400.34 -267.34
     Southeast Asia 212.78 1,159.54 1,372.33 -946.76
     Southwest Asia 8.25 1.01 9.25 7.24
Caribbean 7,357.77 2,998.91 10,356.68 4,358.85
Central America 8,291.97 5,526.89 13,818.86 2,765.08
Europe 3,232.67 8,123.95 11,356.62 -4,891.27
     European Union* 2,750.06 7,703.00 10,453.05 -4,952.94
     Central Europe 1,057.09 1,518.59 2,575.68 -461.50
     East Europe 55.26 53.23 108.49 2.02
     North Europe 220.27 408.62 628.89 -188.35
     South Europe 284.43 1,235.23 1,519.66 -950.79
     Southeast Europe 64.15 59.66 123.81 4.49
     Southwest Europe 354.15 517.72 871.88 -163.57
     West Europe 1,197.32 4,330.90 5,528.22 -3,133.57
Middle East 348.83 375.63 724.46 -26.80
North America 841.80 1,206.58 2,048.38 -364.77
Oceania/Australia/New Zealand 82.56 151.97 234.54 -69.41
South America 23,604.83 7,524.43 31,129.26 16,080.39

* The European Union includes 27 member countries in different subregions of Europe, in addition to the French Overseas Departments of French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion, which are located in the regions of the Caribbean and Africa.
Sourcecs: US Department of Commerce International Trade Administration, US International Trade Commission, CIA World Factbook

 Sources: US Department of Commerce International Trade Administration, US International Trade Commission

Top 20 Trading Partners of the Miami Customs District
 

 Total Trade (In Actual Dollars)

Country

 2006

 2007

Brazil

8,883,534,922 

10,749,672,927 

Venezuela

4,968,215,848 

5,368,277,465 

Colombia

4,387,952,534 

4,866,026,645 

Dominican Republic

4,567,093,828 

4,479,308,428 

China (Mainland)

6,540,753,344 

4,042,085,284 

Honduras 

3,507,609,224 

3,834,562,446 

Costa Rica 

3,874,907,533 

3,689,015,803 

Chile 

2,431,286,174 

2,750,199,104 

Guatemala 

2,242,513,462 

2,173,501,532 

France 

1,545,598,280 

2,076,382,471 

Argentina 

1,696,837,689 

2,025,330,420 

United Kingdom 

1,901,700,915 

1,881,638,286 

Peru 

1,629,939,566 

1,876,967,254 

El Salvador 

1,829,105,033 

1,692,396,049 

Mexico 

1,491,366,579 

1,602,776,195 

Ecuador 

1,328,397,401 

1,549,874,883 

Italy 

1,367,059,556 

1,515,305,355 

Germany 

1,124,771,126 

1,361,906,644 

Panama 

1,046,482,453 

1,344,444,830 

Netherlands 

1,082,451,153 

1,239,684,485 

Sources: US Deparment of Commerce International Trade Administration, US International Trade Commission

Palm Beach International Airport, centrally located in West Palm Beach, is one of the largest medium-hub airports in the United States. PBIA underwent a major $150 million expansion in 1988, with a new state of the art terminal building dedicated as a truly superb example of a user friendly, congestion free, modern airport, and including the construction of a new 560,000-square-foot terminal with 28 gates and the potential for 24 more in the future.

The 560,000 square foot terminal includes a concession mall which runs the length of the building. Other features include three passenger concourses and holding areas. A new beautifully landscaped roadway system leads to separate levels at the terminal for arriving and departing passengers.

Palm Beach International Airport is conveniently located to serve the air trade area of Palm Beach County and the four surrounding counties. The airport is located 2.5 miles west of downtown West Palm Beach and just 3.5 miles west of Palm Beach. PBIA is situated adjacent to I-95 and is accessible from anywhere in Palm Beach County. Boca Raton is approximately 20 miles south and Jupiter is only 15 miles north.

Palm Beach international Airport has 1,100 short term parking spaces and 5,500 long term spaces and over 3,000 Park and Ride spaces. A major new feature is the Customs and Immigration facility which is capable of handling 300 passengers per hour and aircraft up to the size of B747-400, private aircraft maintenance, air cargo and international air. Twenty airlines currently offer scheduled flights from PBIA to destinations throughout the continental United States, and direct international flights are available to the Bahamas and Canada.

On average, more than 6 million people a year pass through PBIA. Commercial airlines, including commuter aircraft, fly in and out of the airport about 70,000 times a year. General aviation, freight and other flights average nearly 113,500 a year, Approximately 19,000 tons of cargo pass through PBIA annually.

Palm Beach County also offers three local commercial/executive airports:

  • Glades Airport is Palm Beach County’s designated recreational airport, located three miles southwest of Pahokee and 35 miles west of West Palm Beach. It is popular for flight training for both fixed wing and helicopters. Glades Airport is also designated to support FAR 105 Parachute Operation.
  • Palm Beach County Park Airport (LNA) is located in Lantana and is six miles south of PBIA. LNA is a reliever airport focusing on the general aviation reciprocating and turbine driven aircraft. LNA is a busy airport with a mix of both fixed-wing and helicopters, and six runways.
  • North County General Aviation Airport (F45) is set on 1,832 acres, with over 1,100 being dedicated to environmental preserves that surround the airport. It is a designated reliever for PBIA and serves both reciprocating engine and jet aircraft.

Click here for PBIA Traffic Reports.

(Source: www.pbia.org/ga)

The Port of Palm Beach is the fourth-busiest container port of Florida’s 15 deepwater ports, and is one of the top 20 busiest container ports in the United States. In fiscal year 2010, the port moved over 213,000 20-foot container units.

The Bahamas Celebration cruise ship is based at the port. Sailing every other day for the Bahamas, it brings 275,000 passengers to the port, an additional and significant economic impact for Palm Beach County. The port also handles diesel fuel, molasses, liquid asphalt, and other bulk commodities. There is also substantial tonnage involved in the movement of heavy lift and project cargos. All of this happens in a port that occupies only 156 acres of land.

Unlike most ports in the United States, the Port of Palm Beach handles exports as well, with approximately 80% of its cargo exported, creating a subsequent improvement in the balance of trade. The majority of the exported cargo goes toward supporting the island nations of the Caribbean. The Port of Palm Beach supplies 60% of everything consumed in the Bahamas and is the essential lifeline to the rest of the Caribbean.

The almost 900,000 tons of raw sugar produced in the Glades area of the county is shipped through the Port of Palm Beach – 100% of it.

The Port of Palm Beach and its tenants combine to become one of the largest employers in Palm Beach County, and is an economic engine for the County. Approximately 2,400 people are employed directly and indirectly because of the Port, which contributes $260 million in business revenue and $12 million in State and Federal taxes. Over $7 billion worth of commodities moves through the Port each year.

The Port of Palm Beach is the only South Florida port facility operating its own rail system with pier-side rail box, hopper, and intermodal cars operating 24 hours a day. The Port has three slips, four marginal wharves, and two ro/ro ramps for a total of 5,200 linear feet of berthing space. A Foreign Trade Zone at the Port has been in operation since 1987, encompassing several Port-owned sites, one sub-zone in Boca Raton and, in the near future, all five zones in the county as well as several high-tech sites in Martin County. Activated areas include the cargo handling bays of the Port’s old cruise terminal, as well as the entire facility of the Port of Palm Beach Cold Storage facility (POPBCS), which operates a 100,000-square-foot facility.

(Data source: http://www.portofpalmbeach.com)

For more information contact:

Economic Development & Research
Phone: 561.835.1008
[email protected]

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