Fla.-Mexico form maritime group

The new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) went into effect on July1. Groups are exploring how to grow the maritime trade. USMCA builds on the previous NAFTA agreements. The World Trade Center-Miami participated in the first meeting of a new Florida/Mexico Working Group, formed between the Florida Ports Council (FPC) and the Mexican Coordinadora de Puertos. The two signed a letter of intent pledging to create a working group of 12 maritime commerce members from Mexico and Florida to grow maritime trade. “The establishment of this working group is a meaningful step towards significantly growing trade between Florida and Mexico,” said Alice Ancona, Senior VP/COO of WTC-Miami. Delegation members from Florida Ports Council, Enterprise Florida, and WTC-Miami met in Mexico City in July 2019 to promote the all-water trade route through Florida. Of Florida’s 15 deep-water seaports, eight sent representatives to Mexico, including the ports of Panama City and Pensacola. FPC coordinated with Jonathan Chait Auerbach, Consul General of Mexico in Miami, and Enterprise Florida’s Mexico City office to schedule meetings for the delegation with government officials and agencies, customs officials, and the Coordinadora de Puertos. (Source: Maritime Executive 07/02/20) https://maritime-executive.com/article/employing-the-usmca-to-build-trade-between-florida-and-mexico-s-ports