Global Shipping Company to Bring Business, Revenue to Florida Port

Delays in the transfer of cargo continue in Southern California as vessels line the horizon waiting offload containers into the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Calif., on Oct. 27, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

PUNTA GORDA, Florida–During the height of the supply chain crisis, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis invited global shipping companies to utilize Florida’s ports to ease the burden on backlogged California ports and expedite deliveries.

DeSantis announced on March 4 that Sea Lead, a major container service, will be docking at JAXPORT as the last port of call on the Asian East Coast (AEC) rotation, thus connecting Jacksonville to four Asian locations. According to Sea Lead’s website, the new weekly service will commence March 7, 2022.

The governor’s office said in a written statement that Sea Lead’s move to JAXPORT is due to berth availability, the “strong labor force” available in the area, and infrastructure that connects the freight to consumers.

In addition, JAXPORT has same-day truck access to 98 million U.S. consumers and the new service is expected to bring 400-500 loaded containers into JAXPORT that is estimated to bring in $400,000 in new revenue,” the statement said.

The governor had visited JAXPORT in October specifically to invite companies that were “experiencing supply chain” issues at other ports to bring their business to Florida. “

“In the midst of severe supply chain disruptions, we made a public effort to get companies to bring more cargo to Florida ports, and we have seen great results,” DeSantis told reporters. “Florida’s continued investment in our seaports and transportation infrastructure make this exciting announcement possible.”

Cargo containers are stacked at the Port of Long Beach, Calif., on Oct. 27, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Commenting on the new service, Cho Kit Wei, Managing Director, Sea Lead, said: “Port congestion has been a challenge for everyone recently and the AEC will allow us to service ports that are more efficient for our customers.”

He said he was “confident” that the markets would respond well to the service.

Privately owned Sea Lead Shipping Pte Ltd is a global shipping line that was founded in 2017 and headquartered in Singapore. Sea Lead services 18 countries. Wei said he is focused on “simplifying international trade among major economies and between emerging markets.”

DeSantis said he would continue to invest in Florida’s infrastructure in order to keep the supply chain moving.

One billion has been invested in Florida’s seaports since 2019 so that they can handle a great amount of cargo. Investments have also been made in roadways to ensure freight could be moved into the ports. The governor has proposed $10.4 billion in the Freedom First budget dedicated to the state’s transportation infrastructure.

Wei said that Sea Lead has been looking at South Atlantic ports to “avoid congestion at the Port of Long Beach.”