News & Updates
FIT Opening New Cargo Facility at Port Everglades
“FIT is a terrific example of how a company can be born at Port Everglades and grow into a regional leader that brings international business and jobs to Broward County,” said Port Everglades Deputy Port Director Glenn Wiltshire.
BROWARD COUNTY, FL – Florida International Terminal, LLC. (FIT) is opening a new 32-acre containerized cargo terminal at Broward County’s Port Everglades with double the number of entry gates, and adding new scales, heavy equipment, technology and increased stacking capacity. FIT is already one of the largest cargo terminal operators at Port Everglades and is relocating to make way for the largest capital improvement project in the Port’s history.
In the past fiscal year (October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018), FIT experienced 17 percent growth with approximately 226,000 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units, the industry standard measurement for container volumes). Perishables cargo accounts for approximately 15 percent of FIT’s total containers volumes.
“FIT is a terrific example of how a company can be born at Port Everglades and grow into a regional leader that brings international business and jobs to Broward County,” said Port Everglades Deputy Port Director Glenn Wiltshire during an inaugural ceremony on October 22, 2018.
Improvements at FIT’s new terminal include:
- Six lanes entering the terminal with scales and two outbound lanes
- An appointment system will be implemented with a VIP lane for refrigerated cargo
- New yard tractor fleet and upgraded container handling equipment
- Resilient information technology systems with quick disaster recovery abilities
- Addition of up to 350 new power plugs for refrigerated containers
“We have installed a lot of new technology to better monitor gate traffic and what is happening throughout the terminal,” said FIT Vice President & General Manager Klaus Stadthagen. “By improving efficiency we are helping our customers, the shipping lines, develop their business. Our success is dependent upon our customers’ success.”
In the next five years, Port Everglades is investing nearly $1 billion in infrastructure improvements to increase cargo volumes. Expansion projects include adding new cargo berths, installing new Super Post-Panamax container gantry cranes, increasing the lift capacity on existing cranes, and deepening and widening the Port’s navigation channels.
About FIT
Founded in association of two large Latin American port operators, SAAM and AGUNSA, FIT opened at Port Everglades in 2005 and handles cargo from a variety of shipping lines including Chiquita Fresh North America, CMA-CGM/APL, Hamburg-Sud, Hapag Lloyd, and SeaLand.
About Port Everglades
Port Everglades is located within the cities of Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, and Dania Beach, Florida, and handles more than one million TEUs annually. The Port serves as a gateway to Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe. More information about Port Everglades is available at porteverglades.net or by calling toll-free in the United States 1-800-421-0188 or emailing PortEvergladesCargo@broward.org.
DATE: October 22, 2018
MEDIA CONTACT: Ellen Kennedy, Assistant Director
Business Development Division/Communications
PHONE: 954-468-2508
EMAIL: ekennedy@broward.org