WorldCity Business Magazine

Miami Trade 2006: Exports

by Claudio Mendonça

Electronic and computer goods raise Miami’s connectivity as a transshipment point.

The Miami Customs District handled $39.6 billion worth of exports during the year, a rise of 16 percent.

South Florida’s traditional exports computers, computer parts and transmission apparatus for cell phones continued to dominate in 2006, all posting gains of more than 20 percent.

Electronic goods had also been the most valuable commodity exported from South Florida in 2005. Exports rose 20 percent in value to nearly $2.7 billion. Most were destined for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Computer parts followed at $2.5 billion in trade, up 21 percent. Cell phone apparatus shipments jumped 23 percent to almost $2.1 billion.

At shipping and logistics company UPS, Tom OMalley, the vice president of cargo for Latin America, said most goods sent from Miami International Airport in 2006 were high-value products such as computers and computer equipment, video games, cellular phones and telecommunications equipment. Many were goods made in Asia using Miami and Fort Lauderdale as transshipment points.

“The (soccer) World Cup,” explained OMalley, “prompted high demand for widescreen televisions in Brazil in 2006.”

Latin American economies are on the upswing and their growth has boosted consumer confidence and sparked demand for foreign made goods. Venezuela has become a strong export destination for goods from South Florida. The Miami Customs District sent $3.9 billion in goods to the oil-rich country in 2006, a leap of 27 percent.

Exports to the district’s No. 1, Brazil, also surged, climbing 20 percent to $6.6 billion.

In addition to electronic goods, day-old chicks destined for breeding in Central America constituted a large proportion of air cargo, said O’Malley.

South Florida shipments to China rocketed 65 percent. Although trade with China remained import heavy, exports reached $295 million, up from $179 million a year earlier.

Those exports included scrap iron, aluminum and copper products for use in Chinas myriad construction projects. Regional jet part exports to the Asian giant were also up.

Those aircraft parts were one of South Floridas fastest-growing exports, soaring 75 percent to almost $1.6 billion while exports of regional aircraft parts took off 23 percent to $1.3 billion. Shipments of aircraft rose to $488 million, up from $290 million in 2005. WC