Ahead of the opening of Seatrade Cruise Global, Consul General Michele Mistò welcomed to Miami, for an intensive program of meetings, the official delegation of Assoporti, Assologistica, and Assiterminal, which took part in the third meeting of the Working Group with their Florida counterparts, led by Secretary of Transportation Jared Perdue, within the framework of the implementation program of the Memorandum of Understanding signed on March 21, 2025.
At the opening of the proceedings, hosted by PortMiami at the Virgin Voyages terminal, the Consul General underscored how the institutional dialogue between Italy and Florida has been growing stronger year after year, based on the shared understanding that, for both peninsulas, the maritime economy is not merely a productive sector, but a true strategic identity.
Referring to the celebration on April 11 of the first National Sea Day, promoted by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani, the Consul General reaffirmed that the sea and its culture shape Italy’s identity, just as they shape that of Florida, and that the maritime industry ecosystem has long been one of the pillars of the Italian economy.
More than 36 percent of the value of Italy’s trade and over 55 percent of trade volumes travel by sea, while Italian ports handle more than 480 million tons of goods each year. The United States is Italy’s leading trading partner outside the European Union, and maritime transport forms the backbone of this relationship: over 70 percent of trade in goods between Italy and the United States moves by sea, for a total exceeding 20 million tons per year.
In this context, Florida plays a truly central role. The ports of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Jacksonville together handle more than 4 million TEUs annually, with strong growth in traffic originating from Europe and the Mediterranean. Italy is already among the leading European countries of origin for containerized cargo bound for Florida, particularly in the sectors of machinery, automotive components, ceramics, fashion, and agri-food products.
The most recent data confirm this positive trend. As reported in the latest PortMiami report, “in the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, PortMiami handled 9,623 TEUs in trade with Italy—for a value of $481.8 million and a total of 99,515 tons,” with Italy continuing to rank as PortMiami’s “top trading partner in Europe.” These figures attest to the strength and depth of the economic relationship between Italy and Florida. Traditional Italian exports of agri-food and wine products to Florida and Georgia now exceed $4 billion, a value comparable to Italy’s exports to Austria. This demand supports a broad commercial and productive ecosystem—from logistics to distribution, from hospitality to specialized retail—that directly connects Italian ports with consumers and industries across the Southeastern United States.
Significant opportunities also remain to be seized. Florida’s consumer market—currently home to more than 22 million residents, with projections exceeding 25 million within a decade—combined with major investments in port infrastructure and logistics corridors, is reshaping trade flows across the region. Neighboring states such as Georgia and South Carolina, which also host major and rapidly expanding Italian-American manufacturing ecosystems, the Consul General noted, further amplify this momentum.
The foundations of the increasingly close cooperation between Italy and Florida in the blue economy have been strengthened by the institutional visits and meetings held over the past two years, beginning with Governor Ron DeSantis’s first official system-wide visit to Italy, as well as last year’s missions by these authorities to Milan and Genoa. On those occasions, SelectFlorida—the State of Florida’s international business development organization—opened its office in Milan, and a delegation led by Secretary Perdue took part in the Genoa International Boat Show, where it met with Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Edoardo Rixi. These visits have further reinforced an institutional bridge destined to become a permanent channel for investment, trade, and strategic dialogue, deepening the rich and multifaceted partnership between the two peninsulas and opening medium- and long-term opportunities for ports, industries, and communities alike.
At the conclusion of the Working Group, the Italian delegation inaugurated the national pavilion at Seatrade Cruise Global, in which the Consulate was very pleased to participate alongside local authorities.
