Explanation of Indicator
The state of Florida is particularly attractive to
the shipping industry because of its proximity to
foreign markets and waterways. These amenities have
attracted a significant amount of port business, which
has had a decisive effect on the state's economy.
Indeed, Florida's seaports are large contributors to
the state's economy; in 1993 the ports handled more than
92 million tons of cargo. Further, international trade
contributed over $40 billion dollars to Florida’s economy
in 1993. At current levels of activity, it is estimated
that the ports (including trade and cruise activity) and
port-dependent businesses create over 300,000 jobs and
generate $600 million in state and local tax revenues cargo.1
There are currently 14 ports in the state. This number rarely changes because ports are very costly to build. The current ports are:
The South Atlantic Ports
Port of Fernandina Port of Fort Pierce Port of Miami Port of Jacksonville Port of Palm Beach Port of Key West Port Canaveral Port Everglades
The Gulf Coast Ports
Port of Pensacola Port St. Joe Port of St. Petersburg Port of Panama City Port Manatee Port of Tampa
Each of these ports contributes to the economic stability of the state. The number of docked commercial ships at each port can indicate how ports contribute to the economy. Commercial ships are those ships which transport goods from one port to another, whether in the course of international trading or from one Florida port to another. The number of ships at each port is a reflection of that port’s activity. Generally, the more active a port, the greater its influence on the economy of the local community and of the state. Thus, the number of docked commercial ships at each port can be a good indicator of the economic viability of the port and of the health of the local economy.
Data Characteristics
SOURCE
Information on commercial ports in Florida may be obtained from the Florida Trade Data Center, 5600 N.W. 36th Street, Miami, Florida 33166, or at (305) 876-9747.
ACQUISITION
The data can be obtained by using a modem for on-line use or through fax-on-demand at a cost of $14.95 for two hours’ access plus $.59/minute.
COLLECTION
The data are collected on a regular basis by port and compiled annually.
Data Limitations
Though the data are updated frequently and are easily accessed, this information is expensive to obtain. Further, the data consider only the number of docked commercial ships at each port; the size of the ships is not considered. Also, the data do not
account for the value of the goods transported by each commercial ship. This can have a great influence on the economic impact of the commercial shipping industry, because more tax revenue is generated from more expensive items and more expensive items
generally require more sophisticated ports and unloading techniques.
Recommendations
The state should collect these data by surveying each of the ports. The Florida Department of Commerce should require annual reports from each port; the reports should contain numbers of ships docked in each port each day. The ships should be
categorized according to their size and the type and value of goods they are shipping. The data should then be tabulated into monthly totals for each port.