The Impacts of Global Trade in Florida
Florida is a global marketplace. If it were a country, Florida would be the 16th largest economy in the world. It is the third most populous state in the U.S. with over 20 million residents and hosts over 100 million visitors a year. Florida is truly a global hub, connecting consumers, goods and markets looking to tap into the U.S., Latin America and other parts of the world. Florida’s freight system moves 740 million tons of freight annually, including international imports and exports, domestic movements to and from other states, and internal shipments within Florida. Florida’s intermodal systems are made up of 122,000 miles of state highways, 3,000 miles of freight rail, 20 commercial service airports, 15 deepwater seaports and two space ports, helping rank Florida number two in the nation for best infrastructure. Along with an expanded Panama Canal and the opportunities for stronger trade flows, these hard infrastructures directly support international trade and help increase import and export flows. In fact, the more than $1 billion invested into ports and infrastructure since 2010 came from recommendations made in the Florida Chamber Foundation’s first Trade and Logistics Study and will help our state take advantage of global trade.