Tampa Port Authority pleased with state’s new trade and transportation plan

TAMPA, Fla.—The Tampa Port Authority (TPA) is pleased to recognize the release of the Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) Freight Mobility and Trade Plan, a collaborative document that aims to strengthen Florida’s position as a gateway to global trade in the Western Hemisphere.

The Freight Mobility and Trade Plan (FMTP) shows a clear commitment from the state and FDOT to bolster the trade, transportation and logistics sectors in Florida. Florida ports can and will play an increasingly instrumental role in capturing the growing hemispheric trade, said Paul Anderson, CEO and director of the Port of Tampa, which added significant input in the plan.

“Along with free trade agreements in recent years with Panama and Colombia and the rapidly expanding middle class economies in Central and South America, we will see many compelling opportunities for the Port of Tampa to be an even stronger gateway for bilateral trade. The leadership of the governor’s office, the Florida Legislature, FDOT and the Florida Chamber Foundation gives momentum and strategic focus for the state to support initiatives and policies that are highlighted in the new plan,” Anderson said. “We have aligned this state freight plan with over $760 million in strategic investments. We are positioning our state and region to capture global trade opportunities. It is a ‘new day’ in Florida,” he said.

The FMTP has received national attention as well, by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which published a report that ranks Florida #1 in this year’s infrastructure index by prioritizing the improvement of efficiency, capacity and connectivity of transport systems as a key part of its economic development strategy. Additionally, Brookings-Rockefeller Institute on State and Metropolitan Innovation identified the FDOT Office of Freight, Logistics and Passenger Operations as one of the Top 10 State and Metropolitan Innovations to Watch (information courtesy FDOT).

The Tampa Port Authority (www.tampaport.com) administers Florida’s largest and one of the nation’s largest and most diversified seaports. The Port of Tampa is the largest economic engine in West and Central Florida. With more than 8 million people within 100 miles, the port serves one of the largest consumer markets in the Southeast U.S., supporting more than 80,000 jobs and greater than $15 billion in annual economic impact.