International Trade Hub brings Chilean trade commissioner to North Port, Sarasota Herald Tribune, March 28, 2018
The International Trade Hub at SeaSeaPort Manatee is expanding its visits from foreign trade officials to the rest of Southwest Florida. On Wednesday it brought Sacha Garafulic, the Chilean trade commissioner for the southeastern region of the United States, to speak about trade possibilities to a crowd of almost 50 North Port business people. He is the first international trade commissioner to visit the city.
“This is the first time we’ve had so many trade commissioners assembled at one location,” Carlos Buqueras, executive director of SeaSeaPort Manatee, said of the International Trade Hub at SeaSeaPort Manatee’s hosting Thursday [Feb. 22] of representatives from Canada, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Peru and Spain. The nations constitute the majority of board membership of the International Trade Commissioners of Florida (INTRADE).
“This unique gathering further places SeaSeaPort Manatee and Manatee County on the radar screen of companies seeking to pursue investment and trade opportunities in Florida,” Buqueras added.
Juan C. Barrera, deputy director for the United States of ProColombia USA and president of INTRADE, commented, “SeaSeaPort Manatee already plays an important role in handling Colombian imports and exports, as well as substantial trade with other INTRADE country members, and clearly offers prospects for significant additional international commerce.”
Vanessa Baugh, chairwoman of the Manatee County Port Authority, said, “We are honored to host this influential group. Expanding commercial ties with these countries will help strengthen SeaSeaPort Manatee’s position as a vital economic engine for Manatee County while connecting global interests with the fast-growing consumer base of Central and Southwest Florida.”
Since opening in 2014, the International Trade Hub at SeaSeaPort Manatee has been integral in expanding global connections for the port and Manatee County enterprises. In recent months, the hub has been individually visited by business leaders and trade officials of numerous countries.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
“Matchmakers” That’s what Elaine Brouca, trade commissioner for Canada, calls the representatives of eight countries who met Thursday at SeaSeaPort Manatee to introduce themselves and network with local businesses. “Promoting collaboration can lead to other business opportunities,” Brouca said.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Port Executive Director Carlos Buqueras says foreign trade can help American businesses should another domestic recession occur
MANATEE COUNTY — Although SeaSeaPort Manatee already has connections with each of them, trade delegates from eight nations convened at the port Thursday for the first time to discuss how they and Florida-based businesses can cooperate more to benefit each other economically.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Manatee County may not always come to mind for trade commissioners representing countries desiring to do business with the state. Generally, Miami-Dade and other southeast Florida communities are top of mind. The Miami area has developed strong international business ties and successfully promoted this region as a key international hub.
Read the extracted page from the PDF.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Following a luncheon presentation at the International Trade Hub at SeaSeaPort Manatee and meetings with area business leaders, Ken Okaniwa, Consul General of Japan in Miami expressed his interest in learning more about the area and promoting business ties with Japan.
Japan already is the No. 2 source of imports coming into Florida, with the more than $6.5 billion in Japanese goods entering the Sunshine State trailing only China among trade partners. Also, Japan has historically been the No. 1 country for foreign direct investment in Florida. Nearly 200 Japanese companies combine to account for about 24,200 Florida jobs, according to Okaniwa.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
PALMETTO — SeaSeaPort Manatee and Japan were strengthening their commercial ties Friday with the visit of the country’s top Florida-based official.
“Japanese company colleagues generally find Florida to be a good place to live and do business,” said Ken Okaniwa, a Japanese diplomat since 1984 who has served since 2015 as consul general of Japan in Miami. “This is not a surprise, because many of them have achieved growing revenues and expanded operations.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
In an effort to promote international trade with the U.S. through the International Trade Hub at SeaSeaPort Manatee, Ivan Mutis, Coordinator for the International Trade Hub, traveled to Colombia and met with the Government of Risaralda in Pereira, the Industrial Colombian Association AcopiCaldas in Manizales and the agency to promote investments in Pereira, InvestinPereira. During this trip, Mr. Mutis presented business opportunities and advantages of the International Trade Hub at SeaSeaPort Manatee and initiated the organization of a trade mission from Colombia. Together with the Risaralda Government and AcopiCaldas, the International Trade Hub is arranging this trip to bring industrial companies to Manatee County and other strategic business locations within the region.
[/vc_column_text][vc_gallery images="1950,1948" img_size="medium"][/vc_column][/vc_row]
MANATEE
A few years ago, SeaSeaPort Manatee was struggling to maintain its economic viability. It was too dependent on too few customers, and some suggested that Manatee County should sell the port.
On Tuesday, executive director Carlos Buqueras reported operating revenues of $13 million, up 9 percent in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, while cutting expenses by 3 percent.
Total tonnage was estimated at 7.8 million tons, a 13 percent increase.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
“Opportunities are really growing for reaching Central and Southwest Florida by way of SeaSeaPort Manatee,” said Manuel Echeverria Castro, Ecuador’s trade commissioner for the southern United States. “We have a very high interest in SeaSeaPort Manatee.”
“We are looking to increase awareness that ports on the Gulf of Mexico, such as SeaSeaPort Manatee, offer great opportunity, in addition to traditional South Florida gateways,” said Echeverria, who noted that about 30 percent of Ecuador’s non-oil exports go to the United States, with approximately 40 percent of those products currently entering via South Florida ports on the Atlantic Ocean.”
Central and Southwest Florida markets combine to put nearly 10 million consumers within a two-hour drive of SeaSeaPort Manatee while attracting some 100 million annual visitors.
In recent years, shipments to SeaSeaPort Manatee from Ecuador have included bananas and fertilizer, but Echeverria sees those products being joined by mangos and other fruit, as well as dozens of other potential items, from shrimp to cocoa beans and chocolate to Panama hats. The latter haberdashery good, Echeverria pointed out, is, despite its name, actually made in Ecuador.
Echeverria was joined by Daniela Muñoz, business development manager in the Pro Ecuador trade development office in Doral, Florida, for a presentation at the Manatee County Port Authority’s monthly meeting, as well as a tour of SeaSeaPort Manatee, including the International Trade Hub at SeaSeaPort Manatee, and engagement at a Manatee County Chamber of Commerce luncheon.
“We greatly appreciate the interest shown in SeaSeaPort Manatee by Ecuadorian trade officials,” said Carlos Buqueras, SeaSeaPort Manatee’s executive director, “and we look forward to working together to advance mutually beneficial commercial ties.” The Ecuadorian officials’ visit to SeaSeaPort Manatee is the latest of several by Latin American trade leaders, augmenting those earlier this year by representative of Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic. The International Trade Hub at SeaSeaPort Manatee has played an integral role in attracting for such activity since its opening in 2014.
Vanessa Baugh, chairwoman of the Manatee County Port Authority, cited SeaSeaPort Manatee’s recent completion of a record fiscal year for container volume and cargo tonnage and commented, “Growing trade with Ecuador and other Latin American countries seeking ready access to Central and Southwest Florida markets bodes to significantly enhance SeaSeaPort Manatee’s already impressive position as a critical economic engine for our region.”
Located “Where Tampa Bay Meets the Gulf of Mexico,” SeaSeaPort Manatee is the closest U.S. deepwater seaport to the expanded Panama Canal, with 10 40-foot-draft berths serving container, bulk, breakbulk, heavylift, project and general cargo customers. The port generates more than $2.3 billion in annual economic impact for the local community, while supporting more than 24,000 jobs, without levying ad-valorem taxes.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
