DeSantis offers Florida ports to ease shipping backlog

by sam

Samuel Case, FISM News

 

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced on Tuesday that the state will be offering incentive packages to companies that use Florida’s seaports, in an attempt to capitalize on the shipping backlog in California.

Last week President Biden announced that the LA Port will be operating around the clock to address supply chain issues, while DeSantis noted Florida ports already operate 24 hours a day.

“We in Florida have the ability to help alleviate these log jams and help to ameliorate the problems with the supply chain,” DeSantis said during a press conference at the Jacksonville Port Authority. “And part of the reason is because we’ve long been committed to reliable, modern and accessible port facilities. Since I’ve been governor in 2019 we’ve allocated almost a billion dollars to over 70 Florida seaport projects.” 

DeSantis emphasized the need to fix the shipping jam quickly to avoid any Christmas present delays. 

We have to make sure people can go Christmas shopping as normal. We have to make sure that all the necessities are there. If it’s because ships are sitting off the coast somewhere else and they can be rerouted here and we can get all those shelves stocked, then we want to be part of that solution.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, a port commissioner, told a top U.S. Department of Transportation official that Tampa’s port “could save Christmas.” 

Last Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Jen Paski told reporters that the Biden administration “cannot guarantee” Christmas presents will arrive on time, but said the administration is working to address delays. Later that day Biden was asked about Christmas delays following his remarks on the supply chain issues,  but left without answering the question. 

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