To expedite perishable cargo transport from Port Everglades, trucks from the Chiquita Ripening Center and International Warehouse Services (IWS) fumigation facility are now permitted to exit from Eller Drive between midnight and 4 a.m. in addition to regular hours of 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. (the gate is closed from 4-6 a.m. and from 10 p.m. to midnight). This exception only applies to the two facilities.
“As the leading perishable seaport in Florida, we understand the need to move perishable commodities faster so that they are fresher when they arrive to the marketplace,” said Steven Cernak, Port Everglades Chief Executive & Port Director. “We applaud U.S. Customs & Border Protection for recognizing this need and working with port staff and our customers to find a solution. These extended hours help speed goods to market.”
Prior to this time extension, perishables that were treated late in the day could not exit past 10 p.m. due to security gate closures. Now, security officers will open the gates past midnight for Chiquita and IWS to make deliveries.
“The perishable industry brought this problem up and the staff at Port Everglades resolved it immediately. This is just one example of their commitment to perishable cargo,” said IWS President and Chief Executive Fred Rogacki.
Port Everglades is the state leader in perishable throughput, moving nearly half of all the refrigerated containers in Florida.
At the crossroads of North-South and East-West trade, Port Everglades is one of the nation’s leading container ports, handling nearly one million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units, the industry standard measurement for container volumes) annually and serving as a gateway to Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia. Located in Greater Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Port Everglades is in the heart of one of the world’s largest consumer regions, including a constant flow of visitors and up to 110 million residents plus seasonal visitors within a 500-mile radius. Port Everglades has direct access to the interstate highway system and the Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) intermodal hub, and is closer to the Atlantic Shipping Lanes than any other Southeastern U.S. port. Ongoing capital improvements and expansion will ensure that Port Everglades can continue to handle future growth in container traffic. A world-class cargo handling facility, Port Everglades serves as an ideal point of entry and departure for products shipped around the world.
More information about Broward County’s Port Everglades is available on the Internet at porteverglades.net or by calling toll-free in the United States 1-800-421-0188 or emailing PortEvergladesCargo@broward.org
Source: Port Everglades
