Port Canaveral, Ports of Sharjar Sign Agreement of Collaboration, Cooperation
By Port Canaveral Magazine // January 18, 2016
Gulftainer hosts ceremony
BREVARD COUNTY • PORT CANAVERAL, FLORIDA – The Sharjah Ports Authority and the Canaveral Port Authority have become sister ports.
The two ports signed a Joint Declaration of Collaboration and Cooperation intended to create new cargo opportunities, exchange knowledge, develop economic resources, foster and ease logistics cooperation and boost the already strong trade relationship between the United States and the United Arab Emirates.
The UAE is the largest trading partner of the U.S. in the Middle East region and one of the fastest-growing U.S. economic partnerships globally.
Since 2009, bilateral trade has increased more than 80 percent up to $24 billion in 2014.
The state of Florida, currently ranks fourth nationally in exports of goods and services to the UAE, exceeding $2.2 billion.
The sister-port relationship between Canaveral and Sharjah is intended to help strengthen the understanding of both business environments and enable private companies involved in the supply chain — shippers, carriers, freight forwarders and investors — to form collaborative partnerships.
A stronger supply chain, in turn, will help companies involved in, or wishing to become involved in, trade between the two nations. The Sharjah Ports Authority oversees three important deepwater harbors in the United Arab Emirates.
In total, the ports have 33 cargo berths and handle in excess of 10 million tons of bulk and general cargo, 52,000 Ro/Ro units and more than 2.5 million TEUs of containerized cargo in a year.
Like Port Canaveral, the Sharjah ports are in a period of growth, currently undertaking harbor deepening projects and initiatives to increase berthing and cargo storage.
Jerry Allender, Canaveral Port Authority Chairman of the Board of Commissioners, and Sheikh Khaled Bin Abdullah Al Quimi, Department of Seaports and Customs, Government of Sharjah, signed the agreement at the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce.
Port Canaveral Commissioner Wayne Justice and Frank Kruppenbacher, Chairman of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority also attended the ceremony.
Daily passenger and cargo flights between Orlando and the UAE on Emirates began this fall.
Gulftainer, parent company of new Canaveral Cargo Terminal operator GT USA and operator of Sharjah Container Terminal (the first container terminal in the UAE) hosted the ceremony.
Peter Richards, Managing Director of Gulftainer, said, “We will continue to strive to strengthen the bond that exists with a view to contributing even further to the economy of both port areas.”
Chairman Allender said, “We look forward to a long and prosperous relationship with our new sister port.”
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