Port Canaveral Reports RO/RO Imports Milestone

 

Port Canaveral staff recently boarded the MOL Mermaid Ace to welcome the captain and crew on her inaugural visit to the port. The vessel is the 13th roll-on/roll-off (RO/RO) vessel to visit the port in recent months. Earlier this year, MOL began new carrier service to Port Canaveral for vehicle imports from the west coast of Mexico, nearly doubling the port’s RO/RO operations. On May 30, the RO/RO vessel MOL Lavender Ace made its inaugural visit into Port Canaveral carrying the 10,000th automobile to enter the port.

 

“The growing Central Florida market is driving RO/RO business in Port Canaveral,” said Port CEO Captain John Murray. “We are the ideal gateway to that growth. Shippers want cost-saving access to high-demand consuming markets such as Orlando, Tampa Bay, Jacksonville, Miami, and Southwest Florida—all of which are easy one- to three-hour drive away from this Port. And, since we’re located on main shipping lanes, carriers like the highly efficient routing to reduce inbound and outbound transit time.”

 

Early in 2016, Port Canaveral completed construction of a new 16-acre paved and lighted auto terminal on the south side of the port. The investments in infrastructure coupled with the port’s partnership with RO/RO terminal operator, Autoport, has expanded opportunities for growing cargo business. Utilizing the new 16 acre auto-terminal, Port Canaveral is the principle port of export to Central America for heavy equipment and trucks used in forestry, mining and agriculture. On the import side, new vehicles from Mexico arrive at Port Canaveral destined to meet the high-demand central and south Florida markets.  Located within four hours of every Florida market, the cars imported into Port Canaveral can be efficiently delivered to auto dealerships throughout Central and South Florida.