DATE: February 3, 2017
MEDIA CONTACT: Ellen Kennedy, Assistant Director
Business Development Division/Communications
PHONE: 954-468-3508
EMAIL: ekennedy@broward.org
BROWARD COUNTY, FL - A shipment of snow peas from Guatemala were flown from South Florida to Amsterdam last night as part of Florida's first ocean-to-air transshipment program designed to save perishable cargo shippers time and money.
Broward County's Port Everglades was the port of entry for the first shipment of perishable cargo participating in the new program, which was developed in partnership with Crowley Maritime Corp's Miami-based subsidiary Customized Brokers and Miami International Airport (MIA).
The program allows Central American produce to reach European markets faster by expediting turn times, and expanding customers' distribution.
"Crowley has been a leader in serving the ocean and inland needs of our Central America produce growers for over 50 years, and this program achieves the latest in a long line of service enhancements designed to help our customers serve new markets more efficiently," said Crowley's Steve Collar, Senior Vice President and General Manager, International Liner Services. "The liner services our customers know and trust can now be combined with an air option to give them a global presence."
Customized Brokers and MIA recently received approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to coordinate ocean shipments of produce from Latin America to Port Everglades, and then on to cargo planes at MIA for a flight to their final destination in Europe and Asia. CBP granted approval for expedited processing of the ocean-to-air shipments in addition to the waving of Customs duties.
The 10 tons of peas were safely packaged to easily transfer from an ocean container to air cargo containers while maintaining freshness. After the ocean container was off-loaded at Crowley's terminal at Port Everglades, it was trucked south to MIA and transferred into air cargo containers and placed on a Centurion Cargo flight bound for Amsterdam the evening of February 2.
"This new program will help to strengthen Port Everglades' position as the leading perishables seaport in Florida," said Steven Cernak, Port Everglades Chief Executive and Port Director, "and will give shippers more options."
"This integrated ocean-to-air cold chain solution will offer customers the most efficient way to speed perishables to new markets," said Frank Larkin, Crowley Senior Vice President and General Manager, Logistics. "As customers seek new markets to distribute their produce, this is a valuable offering in our full suite of services and embodies our commitment to innovation and high performance at Crowley."
About Port Everglades
Port Everglades is Florida's leading container port, annually handling more than one million TEUs annually and serving as a gateway to Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia. More information about Broward County's Port Everglades is available at porteverglades.net or by calling toll-free in the United States 1-800-421-0188 or emailing PortEvergladesCargo@broward.org.
About Customized Brokers
Jacksonville-based Crowley and its subsidiary Customized Brokers can prepare and submit any and all customs documentation for imports of any kind coming into the U.S. The company's strong knowledge of compliance and excellent relationships with regulatory trade authorities combine to allow for expedited client service at seaports, airports and at border crossings. Together, the companies handle fresh fruit and produce clearance including fumigation and transportation coordination; textile 807 handling; foreign trade zones; in-bonds; Quota/Visa requirements; duty preference programs; drawback services; U.S. goods returned; warehouse reconciliation; and mail/informal entries. For more information, please visit customizedbrokers.net.
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