{"id":12591,"date":"2016-08-02T14:32:51","date_gmt":"2016-08-02T21:32:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/somimag.com\/?p=12591"},"modified":"2016-08-03T09:45:03","modified_gmt":"2016-08-03T16:45:03","slug":"portmiami-welcomes-first-big-ship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/somimag.com\/portmiami-welcomes-first-big-ship\/","title":{"rendered":"PORTMIAMI WELCOMES FIRST ‘BIG-SHIP’"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/a>

Hundreds of curious onlookers gathered with federal, state and local officials July 9 as PortMiami officially joined the Neo-Panamax era. Under perfect skies \u2013 and with great anticipation \u2013 Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez officially welcomed the MOL Majesty as the first ship to arrive at the port after transiting the expanded Panama Canal bound for Miami.<\/p>\n

Also sharing words on this historic day were Panama Canal Authority Administrator Jorge Quijano, PortMiami Director and CEO Juan M. Kuryla,\u00a0and Commissioner Jose \u201cPepe\u201d Diaz.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are more than ready to become the first port of call for the world\u2019s largest ships,\u201d announced Mayor Gimenez. \u201cBeing ready for the big ships means big business for Miami-Dade County. And we\u2019ll be seeing economic growth in the form of thousands of jobs and additional trade opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other officials welcoming the MOL Majesty and its Captain Yutaka Uno included Congresswomen Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Fredericka Wilson, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Estaban Bovo, Senator Gwen Margolis and Mayor of Medley Roberto Martell.<\/p>\n

Over the years, PortMiami and partners such as Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) have been investing in the infrastructure necessary to support multi-modal shipping and global trade into and out of South Florida via the new-class neo-panamax vessels. Ships designated \u201cneo-panamax,\u201d are designed to fit exactly in the newly constructed locks of the expanded Panama Canal and have a capacity in excess of 12,500 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent\u00a0Units).<\/p>\n

Milestone achievements such as the completion of PortMiami\u2019s deep dredge, installation of the PortMiami Tunnel and FEC\u2019s on-dock intermodal rail enhancements all contributed to positioning Miami as the most convenient and efficient global hub on the East Coast. Experts expect an increase of 10 percent in shipments to be rerouted through the now expanded Panama\u00a0Canal to eastern seaboard ports like PortMiami.<\/p>\n\n\t\t