Chinese delegation visits Port Everglades

Chinese delegation visits Port Everglades Located on the western side of the Taiwan Straits, Xiamen, China may not be a household name in the United States, but in shipping circles it has been making big noise over the last decade, growing by leaps and bounds to become of the top 25 ports in the world.
   Port Everglades, meanwhile, is known for its excellent connections to Central America, as well as for its services to the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean. But the Asia trades are becoming increasingly important for Port Everglades and the rest of South Florida, with more direct services bringing in cargo that used to come via overland intermodal connections.
   The importance of that emerging market took on a human face at Port Everglades Thursday, when a delegation of officials from Xiamen came to Florida to sign a sister ports agreement. The visitors were flanked not only by representatives of Port Everglades, but by Johnny Chiang of Evergreen America, the U.S. agency for the giant Taiwan-based container carrier, and Carl Pitts of APM Terminals, a major terminal operator at Port Everglades that has the same parent company as Maersk, the world's largest container carrier.

Port Everglades and the Port of Xiamen, China signed a sister ports agreement Thursday in the offices of Port Everglades. Pictured from left are: Xiang Lu, chief senior engineer of the Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration in Xiamen; Zheng Dong Bing, general director of Xiamen Maritime Safety Administration; Wang Yong Jun, general director of the Xiamen Harbor Bureau; Broward County Mayor Josephus Eggelletion, Jr.; Port Everglades director Phillip C. Allen; Johnny Chiang of Evergreen America; Carl Pitts of APM Terminals; and Port Everglades deputy director Glenn A. Wiltshire.

   With Broward County Mayor Josephus Eggelletion, Jr. on hand with port director Phillip C. Allen to welcome the delegation headed by Wang Yong Jun, the general director of the Xiamen Harbor Bureau, the mayor commented: 'It is fitting that Port Everglades and the Port of Xiamen become sister seaports because, even though they are a half a world apart, they share so much in common,' Eggelletion said.    'Both seaports have witnessed phenomenally successful growth in the past 25 years and share a business model based on product diversity.    Both seaports facilitate the transport of cargo, passengers and petroleum products.'