Partnerships: Tampa Bay/Cartagena, Colombia

Port Tampa Bay recently joined Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Cartagena (SPRC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in which they agree to work together "in developing business initiatives of mutual interest, exchange of trade information, and establishing new ocean carrier services between the two ports."

Port Tampa Bay has similar agreements with Quequén, Argentina; Barranquilla, Colombia; Veracruz, México; JAPDEVA, Costa Rica; and the Panamá Canal Authority.

Cartagena is Colombia’s largest container port, a major Caribbean transshipment center that in 2013 handled nearly 33 million metric tons of cargo and approximately 2.0 million container TEUs. A thriving cruise port as well, in 2013 it received 356,350 cruise passengers and 213 cruise ship calls.

Latin America is Tampa’s strongest and most active trade market. During FY 2013, Port Tampa Bay’s trade with Colombia amounted to nearly 400,000 tons, much of it coal (inbound) and phosphate (outbound), but also including cement, ammonia, ammonium nitrate, and containerized cargo.

Port Tampa Bay Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Raul Alfonso, who participated in the MOU ceremony with Giovanni Benedetti, SPRC’s commercial director of the Port of Cartagena, is excited about the new partnership and is ready to explore new cargo and business possibilities.

"Our team is eager to work with the Port of Cartagena to develop new trade routes to serve our two great markets," Mr. Alfonso said. "We believe that Port Tampa Bay and Cartagena will become strong partners, offering new, better solutions to our customers in Florida and Colombia."