Tampa Port approves auto processing agreement

   The Tampa Port Authority announced Friday that the port’s board of commissioners has approved a terminal use agreement with its new strategic partner AMPORTS to process new automobiles, trucks and other vehicles for delivery by truck and rail to Southeast markets within and outside of Florida.
   In July, the Tampa Port Authority and AMPORTS signed a letter of intent to develop a new terminal dedicated to the import and export of automobiles and rolling stock, and the board’s move this week at its December board meeting is effectively bringing this plan to fruition.
   Mexico’s large and growing capacity for automotive production is spurring demand for efficient and low-cost distribution to the U.S. market, where an estimated one in 10 cars sold in the U.S. is made in Mexico. 
   The state of Florida will soon surpass New York as the third most populous state in the U.S., and distributing new cars from the center of the state of Florida provides an optimal supply chain for this growing trade lane, the port said.
   In addition to imports from Mexico, AMPORTS and the Port of Tampa will serve as a gateway for U.S.-produced vehicles aimed toward Latin America and Caribbean destinations.