b'8American Journal ofTransportation ajot.comDHL Express expands its cargo shipping(GATEWAYcontinued from page 4)asparagus and Costa Rica for flowers and seafood.between Miami and Latin America Mia g earingF org rowthMIA is gearing up for more growth. Nares told DHL Express started shipping this week fromexpanding passenger airline at Miami airport, rankedthe AJOT in an exclusive interview that Miami-Dade Miamito Argentina,aspartofitscargohaulingeighth there over the past year, hauling 107,468 tons,County Board of County Commissioners recently expansion from South Florida to Latin America. or 215 million pounds, of cargo. Miami is Americansadopted a capital improvement program, funding up DHL plans to fly cargo six days a week betweensecond-largestcargohubafterDallas/FortWorthto $6.8 billion of airport wide modernization over MiamiInternationalAirportandEzeizaInterna- International Airport,JuanCarlosLiscano, Ameri- the next five to 15 years. Cargo buildings at MIA tional Airport in Buenos Aires, the global shippingcans vice president of Miami hub operations told thewill be expanded, modernized or demolished, run-firm said. This comes after the company launchedHerald in July. Its really important. ways will be expanded, and parking stands will be direct service from Miami to Brazil last year, tap- As of August, the number of airlines transport- added directly accessing cargo facilities.ping into growing business and commerce betweening cargo through Miami increased to 96 carriers,Additionally,MIAisworkingwithaprivate the United States and Latin America. including airlines that carry cargo only and thosesector concern to build a vertically integrated cargo Each DHL flight between Miami and Buenoshauling passengers with belly cargo. Foreign airlinescommunitymulti-leveledthatisexpectedto Airescancarry52tons,or104,000pounds,ofthathavecargo-onlyflightsincludeHongKong- double the airports cargo capacity. No timetable cargo, the company said this week. After landing inbased Cathay Pacific Airways and KLM/MartinAirhas been established for completion, he said.Buenos Aires, the planes will go to Santiago, Chilefrom the Netherlands. Goldfarb sees a positive outlook for MIA and before returning to Miami airport. Meanwhile, DHL said this week its new flightthe thrust is the northbound perishable commodities Thenewflightsto Argentinaareexampleofservice from Miami to Buenos Aires should increasefrom Latin America, which is either exported fur-another company expanding its cargo operation inby 50% the likelihood of same-day U.S. Customsther to US, Europe, or consumed locally. Besides Miami, as the airport becomes a wider gateway toclearance and delivery. The firm also said its deliv- residents here, remember, we also have 16 million Latin America. ery times for U.S. shipments will improve as a resultpeople who embark and disembark on cruise ships Chilean airline LATAM Airlines Group is alsoof the expanded shipping service. annually in South Florida, he says.bettingbigonitsshippingprospectsfromSouthThe introduction of this new flight to Argen- The Interport executive also cited Atlas Air with Florida. tinareinforcesourunwaveringcommitmenttoits 747 jumbo jet freighters, LATAM with its 767 Our biggest cargo market is Miami, Martinglobal trade by delivering faster and more efficientfreighterfleet,AviancaCargo,COPACargoand St. George, chief commercial officer for LATAM,shipping and logistics solutions, and addressing thebelly freight operator American Airlines as hauling told the Miami Herald in July. growing demand in the region, Mike Parra, CEO ofthelionsshareofperishablesnorthboundtoand He said by the end of 2023, the airline expectsDHL Express Americas, said earlier this week. through MIA.to have a fleet of 20 planes that regularly fly cargoDHLAeroExpreso,aPanama-basedairlineGoldfarb personally sees a continued bright out-between Miami and Latin America. that operates cargo services in Latin America andlook for MIA / 2024. The airport moved 2.75 mil-Already,LATAMwasthefourth-largestofthe Caribbean, added direct flights from Miami tolion tons of air cargo through it in 2022. They will be 80-plus cargo transporters at Miami airport, duringBrazillastyear. WhileithadservedBrazilpriorabout even with that number in 2023. But they are the 12-month period through July, according to datato that, the first dedicated flight was a response tohoping to get closer to that three million ton mark in providedbyairportofficials.Theairlinehauledincreasinginternationalshippingneedsbetween2024 he says,257,563 tons, or 515 million pounds, of cargo inBrazil and the U.S. it said at the time. Another barometer of Miami-Dades economic that stretch, a 12% increase over the same periodABoeing767-300Faircraftfliessixtimesahealth and MIA in specific is the South Florida labor the prior year. weekfromMiamitoBrazilsViracoposAirport,force. Goldfarb says 450,000 people or one out of every Meanwhile, American Airlines, the biggest and(EXPANDScontinued on page 10) four people in the region works in trade and logistics.EXPANDING CAPACITY TOFL RID SO ADISTRIBUTIONHUBNo congestion Expanded terminal capacity with plenty of room for growthTampa/Orlando I-4 Corridor: 400 million SFMultiple round-trip truck deliveries per day from Port to of distribution center space distribution centersE-commerce, consumer goods, perishablesNew and expanded container services with Central and building materials America, Mexico and AsiaWWW.PORTTB.COM'