Port stakeholders eye Miami options

Port stakeholders eye Miami options Miami's shipping community came together for a port access forum Tuesday, discussing proposals ranging from starting a barge service from the Port of Miami to a Miami River intermodal terminal to creating incentives for off-peak container moves like those for the PierPass program used at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
   Industry executives also looked at existing long-term proposals like the construction of the planned Miami port tunnel and a new on-port intermodal rail service.
   While those ideas were discussed in what was basically a public brainstorming session, several port users said they were more concerned about more immediate changes to improve port access, with an emphasis on resurrecting a new link between Interstate 95 and the existing access routes on 5th Street and 6th Street.
   Acting port director Bill Johnson assembled a large group of panelists for the forum, including port consultants, Miami-Dade County and City of Miami officials, terminal operators, cargo and cruise lines, freight forwarders and customs brokers, longshoremen, truckers, and railroad executives.
   Port users attending the session were encouraged to ask questions of the panelists and offer both new ideas and opinions on existing access proposals.
   Johnson said the goal of the meeting was not to debate port access issues, but to examine and discuss any ideas port stakeholders have to improve port access.
   There was a general consensus that while the Port of Miami is at the heart of a strong and growing market for international trade, the port will not be able to handle much more business unless port access and cargo turnaround times are improved.
   In news about the most near-term change to improve cargo flows at the port, officials said the first phase of the port's new truck gates will be completed and operational this fall. The new gates were supposed to be ready in the fall of 2005, but technical and design changes delayed the project.