Port Of Palm Beach News

A newly constructed barge has entered service for American Sugar Refining, Inc., a member of West Palm Beach-based ASR Group, and its parent companies – Florida Crystals Corporation and Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida. The 450-foot-long Knot Refined departed from the Port of Palm Beach on Friday to deliver Palm Beach County-grown and -milled raw sugar to ASR Group’s Domino Sugar Refinery in New York.Built by North Kingstown, R.I. shipyard Senesco Marine, the 450-foot-long Knot Refined took more than two years to construct and is the first oceangoing…

Broward County’s Port Everglades has appointed Ricardo D. Charlton, BSME, FSO, as its new Director of Operations.Port Everglades is a self-supporting enterprise fund of Broward County, Fla., generating more than $170 million in revenues in fiscal year 2019 (October 1, 2018 – September 1, 2019) and is ranked among the nation’s leading container ports and a world leader in the cruise industry.As Director of Operations, Charlton will oversee a workforce of 95 encompassing the Division’s Harbormaster Office…

Tropical Shipping announced it will serve the Port of Paramaribo with once-weekly sailings beginning May 14.The carrier will ship everything from small packages to refrigerated cargo, dry goods, building supplies and vehicles via its new eight-day transit between Florida and Suriname.Southbound service to Suriname will depart the Port of Palm Beach every Thursday and arrive in Paramaribo each Friday of the following week. The northbound 11-day service will depart Suriname on Friday and arrive in the U.S. on a Tuesday.

The U.S. government has chartered another commercial cruise liner to serve as a floating hotel for relief workers in the U.S. Virgin Islands in the aftermath of hurricanes Irma and Maria. Carnival Cruise Line said it reached an agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that will see the 2,052-passenger vessel Carnival Fascination docked in St. Croix to provide housing and meals for relief workers during a four-month charter from October 15 to February 3, 2018.

On Tuesday, January 3, 2017, the Port of Palm Beach Board of Commissioners elected its new Chairman, Blair J. Ciklin, the longest serving Port Commissioner in the United States having completed his 38th year as a Port of Palm Beach District Commissioner in 2016. Since joining the Port of Palm Beach Board of Commissioners in 1977, as its youngest member, Ciklin has helped to guide the Port through many years of landmark growth and change. With a strong focus on fiscal responsibility, Ciklin’s proven record of success has always targeted new expanded revenue while curtailing Port expenditures. “The year ahead is filled with endless possibility and potential and I look forward to serving as Chair during this time of international outreach and growth,” said Chairman Ciklin.

The Port of Palm Beach District is proud to announce that Fitch Ratings has revised the Rating Outlook on approximately $9.72 million of outstanding Port of Palm Beach District port revenue bonds, series 2005, from Stable to Positive. The report, released May 27, 2016, documented the port’s strengths, challenges and recent developments as the agency’s rationale for the ratings upgrade. The Positive Outlook recognizes the port's continued improvement in debt service coverage ratios (DSCRs) to a four-year average of 1.75x and robust liquidity position of over 300 days cash on hand (DCOH) since 2010. Both are expected to better position the port's financial profile to weather volatile economic conditions.

On Thursday, May 19, 2016, the Port of Palm Beach Board of Commissioners agreed to exclude funding for a proposed U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lake Worth Inlet navigational improvement project from the port’s Master Plan Update. The ACOE project, along with the economic and environmental backup that accompanied the plan, was published for the port’s review in 2005. As global, regional and state markets; the port’s tenant composition; and the environmental and recreational dynamics surrounding the port have changed, the port’s missions and goals continue to evolve. In discussing the 10-year time span between the study and the Thursday evening decision…

On Thursday, January 20, 2016, the Port of Palm Beach Board of Commissioners elected its new Chairman, Mr. Wayne M. Richards. Richards, a member of the board for 16 years, is known for keeping a strong focus on fiscal responsibility and bringing new, diversified business to the Port of Palm Beach. Among the board members, Dr. Jean L. Enright was voted into the position of vice-chair, and Mr. George E. Mastics was named Secretary-Treasurer. Richards’ dedication to business development at the port is highlighted by his many trade missions to the Caribbean nations such as the Bahamas, Barbados, Dominican Republic and Trinidad Tobago. Over the past year…

The U.S. Coast Guard said it continues to respond to the loss of containers from the barge Columbia Elizabeth, which reported losing multiple containers into the sea between Cape Canaveral and Palm Beach, Florida, Sunday. Marine prevention teams from Coast Guard Sector Miami and Marine Safety Detachment Lake Worth have been dispatched to the Port of Palm beach where the barge is currently being unloaded, according to the Coast Guard. As of Tuesday afternoon, crews have removed 243 containers from the barge at the Port of Palm Beach.

Multiple containers have fallen into the sea from a barge off the coast between Port Canaveral, Fla., and West Palm Beach, Fla., Sunday. U.S. The U.S. flagged 136-foot Capt Latham was transiting to Puerto Rico as it tugged a 340-foot barge, Columbia Elizabeth, when crew aboard noticed several cargo containers hanging over the port side of the barge and believed more had fallen into the water while in transit, the Coast Guard said. The Capt Latham terminated its course toward Puerto Rico and diverted to Port of Palm Beach for further investigation.

The Port of Palm Beach District announced that Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. upgraded the Port of Palm Beach District senior rating to Baa3 from Ba1, and reported the outlook to be stable. The report, released October 2, 2015, documented the port’s strengths, challenges and recent developments as the agency’s rationale for the ratings upgrade. The upgrade to Baa3 recognizes the port’s sustained financial improvement due to successful contract renewals with its largest customers. The improved margins experienced over the last four fiscal years are expected to continue in the midterm, supported by tenant minimum annual revenue guarantee that improve the port’s cash flow predictability.

Netherlands-based maritime services firm Svitzer Salvage Americas Inc. has signed a 22,961-square-foot storage warehouse lease for a strategic operations center in Dania Beach, FL, announced Morris Southeast Group/CORFAC International Principal Ken Morris, SIOR. Morris represented Svitzer Salvage in the five-year lease for two adjacent bays located at Broward International Commerce Center (BICC), 345-349 N. Bryan Road, Building 500 in Dania Beach, FL. The company intends to use the space as a storage warehouse for its salvage operations and occupancy is projected for September 2012. Dania Beach is south of Ft. Lauderdale, north of Hollywood and about 22 miles from Miami.

This and recent agreements with Port of Miami and Port of Palm Beach solidify Florida Inland Port’s position as the premier inland port / integrated logistics center serving the southeastern U.S. Florida Inland Port today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that creates a strategic alliance with the Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT). The alliance between one of Florida’s largest seaports and the state’s first rail-oriented, integrated logistics center helps to pave the way for improved flow of goods throughout Florida and the Southeast United States. Similar to the recent agreements with the Port of Miami and the Port of Palm Beach…

The Port of Palm Beach District selected Florida Crystals as its partner to develop the South Florida Regional Intermodal Logistic Center in western Palm Beach County in order to strategically meet the demands of future cargo traffic. Western Palm Beach County has struggled with soaring unemployment rates of more than 40 percent and little or no economic activity. The Inland Logistics Center has the potential to create 600 jobs per one million square feet of distribution space. "We are hopeful now that the local governments have spoken Governor Crist will put aside his recent differences with Florida Crystals and not continue to cause economic harm to the residents of western Palm Beach County," said Gaston Cantens, Vice President of Florida Crystals.

The Acting Coast Guard Captain of the Port for Palm Beach, Fla., Capt. Cynthia Stowe, revoked the Palm Beach Princess’ Coast Guard-issued Certificate of Compliance Dec. 8 after the vessel failed to make required repairs to one of its main propulsion engines. The vessel is now prohibited from carrying passengers in any U.S. port until its Certificate of Compliance is reinstated. On Sept. 7, the Coast Guard received a report from the Palm Beach Princess regarding an engine casualty during the vessel’s transit from the Bahamas to the Port of Palm Beach. Once the vessel arrived at the Port of Palm Beach, it was met by ship surveyors from Det Norske Veritas, the organization that carries out vessel surveys and ensures the vessel's compliance with U.S. and international laws.

The Port of Palm Beach will celebrate the grand opening of the new 100,000 sq. ft. Cruise Terminal and Maritime Office Complex on February 11. Festivities will include the inaugural State of the Port Address before local, regional and state dignitaries and a tour of the new Cruise Terminal. The Port of Palm Beach District is an independent special taxing district of the state of Florida. The Port District, located in Palm Beach County and established in 1915 by the citizens of Palm Beach County, covers a land area of 971 square miles. The Port is one of the busiest container ports in Florida and continues to be an economic engine for Palm Beach County.

Port authority leaders from across the Western Hemisphere will gather from September 22 - 26, 2002, at the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida, to address issues such as trade trends, maritime security, financing requirements at ports, and cruise operations. The 91st Annual Convention of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) is expected to attract up to 800 delegates and guests to Palm Beach. The Port of Palm Beach will serve as host and plans a number of social events to highlight the region. The Palm Beach Annual Convention will begin with a reception on Sunday evening, September 22. Technical and policy committees will meet on Monday, September 23.

Broward County’s Port Everglades has been ranked as one of the five fastest growing container ports among the nation’s 20 largest seaports, with a 16 percent increase in containerized cargo from 2003 to 2004, according to newly released year-end data by the P.I.E.R.S. Trade Information Service. “We’re celebrating another year of dramatic success in our container business, which is due in part to an expanding diversification of container routes and services,” said Port Director Ken Krauter. Over the 12 months January through December 2004, containerized cargo at Port Everglades has grown 16 percent from 429,315 loaded TEUs (20-foot equivalent units – the industry’s standard for measuring containerized cargo) in 2003 to 499,701 TEUs in 2004.

The Bahamas is hoping to boost its ship registry from the third largest in the world to number one with the help of one of the country’s closest and most significant trading allies, the Bahamas Journal reported. It is one of the reasons why the government sought to renew its commitment with officials of the Port of Palm Beach, the 4th busiest port in Florida and the 18th busiest in the United States. Minister of Maritime Affairs and Labour Senator Dion Foulkes officially made that move Tuesday, a key step in fulfilling one of the promises outlined in the governing party’s Manifesto 2007 – to establish linkages in the economic sector.

The US Coast Guard stated that the south Florida ports of Miami, Miami River, Port Everglades, Palm Beach, and Fort Pierce have been closed due to Tropical Storm Ernesto. The Coast Guard issued a second press release stating that the port of Jacksonville will be closed shortly as Tropical Storm Ernesto approaches. Source: HK Law

The Cloud X, a 365-passenger fast ferry that has been operating between Port of Palm Beach and the Bahamas since August 2005, will discontinue operations at the end of May, the vessel’s owner said today. “Rising fuel costs and disruption of travel priorities caused by four hurricanes are among factors beyond our control that contributed to this decision,” said John Martin, owner of the vessel, which was operated by Party Line Cruise Co. “While we had hoped to overcome these challenges, and even though passenger levels have been slowly increasing, we recognized that we could not feasibly sustain operations under present circumstances,” Martin added.

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta will address port authority leaders from across the Western Hemisphere on Tuesday, September 24, 2002, at the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida. Secretary Mineta will address delegates and guests at the 91st Annual Convention of the American Association of Port Authorities AAPA), from 12:45 to 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday's luncheon, in the Venetian Ballroom. "We're really pleased that the Secretary will join us to address some very important port issues," said Kurt J. Nagle, AAPA president. Secretary Mineta will likely talk about port security, the new Transportation Security Administration, reauthorization of the Transportation Efficiency Act of 2001 (TEA 21), and the need for SEA 21 legislation.

U.S. public port authorities discussed the need for Federal legislation and continued Federal funding for maritime security. They urged Congress to appropriate additional funds for Fiscal Year ’03 during their Legislative Policy Council (LPC) meeting on Monday, September 23, 2002. Port authorities are meeting this week at the 91st Annual Convention of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), at the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida. John A. Flaherty, Chief of Staff of the Department of Transportation, said during remarks at a luncheon today that ports have an historic opportunity to influence reauthorization of the Transportation Efficiency Act (TEA 21) next year, when the current legislation expires in September.