Port Everglades delivers worldwide advantage
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
FLORIDA TRADE AND LOGISTICS
“ We’ re losing a lot of specific skill sets that the maritime industry needs to be competitive in a global environment, particularly with the emphasis that the world is seeing on our competition with Asia and what’ s going on both militarily and commercially. We can’ t underemphasize the importance of these jobs,” Anderson said.
Maritime industry workers must have specialized skills, prompting many ports to form partnerships with higher education institutions or organizations offering relevant curriculums.
“ There are a lot of opportunities for jobs in the maritime workforce, and Port Tampa Bay is working closely with many of our maritime companies to create a higher awareness, particularly in our school systems,” Anderson said.
“ Not everybody wants to go to college, and we want to make it a very identifiable career path for many of these students,” he added.“ The industry itself has not done a great job, to be honest with you. It hasn’ t been unified. So we’ re seeing a lot of that come together.”
“ There is a wide range of career paths for port-related jobs in the hospitality, maritime, government, security and logistics industries,” Hernández said.“ As a Broward County government agency, the port employs about 270 people in various fields, from as finance to information technology to line handling.”
Crowley emphasizes the strategic role played by Florida’ s maritime workforce in keeping cargo and energy products moving.
“ We are focused on building long-term talent pipelines across our operations. That includes careers at sea, in terminal and land operations, and in administrative and support functions,” Davis said.“ These positions provide hands-on experience, clear career pathways and opportunities for advancement across our maritime, logistics and energy businesses.”
Davis said that the company remains committed to strengthening the industry’ s workforce and continues to invest in development to build a“ strong and sustainable” talent pipeline.
Crowley partners with the non-profit youth organization Junior Achievement to foster workforce development, financial literacy and career readiness for students. Employees host career panels, support Junior Achievement events and mentor students in logistics, shipping and supply chain careers.
“ We work closely with labor unions, maritime academies and universities to create training and credentialing opportunities, while also partnering with nonprofit organizations, such as Junior Achievement, to introduce students to maritime careers early and support their personal and professional growth,” Davis said.
“ Together, these efforts help expand access to careers in the maritime industry and position it as a long-term field of choice.”
By aligning economic opportunity with innovation, sustainability and workforce development, Florida remains equipped to remain a leading gateway for international commerce as supply chains continue to evolve in the years to come.
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Port Everglades delivers worldwide advantage
Broward County’ s Port Everglades is a triple threat with cruise, cargo and energy business lines that make it a powerhouse port. It is one of the leading seaports in the United States and plays a major role in keeping store shelves stocked with the products consumers use every day.
The port’ s diversified cargo mix includes containers; refrigerated cargo such as melons and seafood; new and used automobiles and trucks; dry bulk; breakbulk; roll-on / roll-off; boats and yachts; and liquid bulk.
Most goods come from the port’ s strong trade partnership with Caribbean and Latin American countries, and it recently added a direct connection to Asia. The port is ranked No. 2 in the US among ports trading with the Caribbean, No. 1 in perishables in Florida and No. 10 in the US.
Beyond supplying goods and groceries to the Caribbean, the port feeds high consumer demand— 80 % of trade happens within 80 miles of the port.
Port Everglades also provides fuel— from gasoline to jet fuel— for 12 counties in Florida. It notched a port record in fiscal year 2025 with 5.5 billion gallons, placing it as the state’ s No. 1 port for receiving petroleum products.
The port’ s location is one of its greatest advantages. Port Everglades offers direct access to the interstate highway system and Florida East Coast Railway’ s 43-acre near-dock Intermodal Container Transfer Facility, ensuring cargo reaches Atlanta and Charlotte by rail within two days and 70 % of the US population in four days. These connections allow containers to move quickly from ship to truck or train, getting goods to their final destinations faster.
Another advantage is the port’ s commitment to continuous improvement. Its investments in infrastructure, including six super-post-Panamax gantry container cranes, have led to global recognition and improved flow. Port Everglades is in the top 20 % of ports worldwide for operational efficiency, according to 2024’ s World Bank and S & P Global Container Port Performance Index analysis.
For cargo business owners looking to expand their global reach, Port Everglades offers the strategic location, world-class infrastructure and proven efficiency needed to move goods faster, farther and more reliably in today’ s competitive marketplace.
52 Journal of Commerce | June 1, 2026 www. joc. com