Florida Ports Council, Inc.

What Florida Ports Council, Inc. does

Florida Ports Council, Inc. is a private, Florida-based non-profit trade association that serves as the unified advocacy voice for the state's 15 public seaports, including PortMiami, Port Tampa Bay, JAXPORT, Port Everglades, Port Canaveral, SeaPort Manatee, and Port Panama City. The organization engages with the Florida Legislature, U.S. Congress, the Florida Department of Transportation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to secure infrastructure funding and favorable maritime policy. It also staffs the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development (FSTED) Council, administers the FSTED financing program under Florida Statute Chapter 311, and supports the Florida Ports Financing Commission.

The Council's core products are non-commercial: policy research (e.g., its 2015 Analysis of Global Opportunities and Challenges for Florida's Seaports), annual meetings, international trade missions, a monthly newsletter, and an environmental stewardship program. There is no proprietary technology stack; the organization's digital presence is limited to its flaports.org website and newsletter distribution via eepurl.com.

Its business model is membership-funded. Revenue is derived from dues paid by its 15 member port authorities, supplemented by event sponsorship and limited programmatic administration related to the FSTED program. The Council does not sell products or services to end customers and does not operate pricing tiers. Day-to-day operations are run by a small professional staff (1-10 employees) led by a President and CEO, with a board chaired by an elected port director.

Name

Florida Ports Council, Inc.

Legal name

Florida Ports Council, Inc.

Website

https://flaports.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Florida Ports Council is a Tallahassee-based non-profit trade association that advocates for Florida's 15 public seaports. It staffs the FSTED Council, administers state port infrastructure financing under Chapter 311, and runs trade missions and annual meetings for its port-authority members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Trade Association Services

NAICS

Port and Harbor Operations (488310)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Maritime & Port Authorities (Public Ports, Harbors, Ferries Terminals) (BPAIALAF)

Keywords

• Seaport advocacy
• Port authority representation
• Maritime trade policy
• Seaport infrastructure funding
• Port economic development

Headquarters

HQ city

Tallahassee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The Florida Ports Council represents Florida's 15 public seaports and likely derives revenue from membership dues paid by port authorities. The organization staffs and administers the FSTED (Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development) program.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Florida Ports Council, Inc. is a non-profit trade association that represents Florida's 15 public seaports before state and federal legislative and regulatory bodies. It coordinates collective advocacy, conducts research, fosters leadership development among port professionals, and administers the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development (FSTED) program pursuant to Florida Statute Chapter 311 on behalf of its member ports.

Product overview

Florida Ports Council, Inc. is a trade organization and advocacy body representing Florida's public seaports. It does not offer technology products or services. The organization coordinates seaport transportation and economic development programs, provides advocacy services for its member ports, and facilitates environmental stewardship initiatives across Florida's port system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• State and Federal Advocacy Representation Advocacy on behalf of Florida's 15 public seaports before state and federal legislative and regulatory bodies, including policy development, legislative tracking, and coordinated representation on issues affecting seaport funding, operations, and growth.
• FSTED Program Administration Administration of the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development (FSTED) program under Florida Statute Chapter 311, supporting seaport infrastructure, transportation, and economic development initiatives for member Florida ports.
• Annual Conference and Trade Mission Programming Annual meeting and hosted events such as the Florida Ports Day reception in Tallahassee that bring together member port leadership, industry stakeholders, and policymakers for coordination, networking, and recognition.
• Environmental Stewardship Recognition Program Coordination of the council's environmental initiatives, including the seagrass mitigation program and recognition efforts for member ports' environmental performance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Florida invested over $850 million in port infrastructure
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• World Trade Center MiamicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2022Partnered with Florida Ports Council on trade mission to Mexico to focus on increasing trade between Mexico and Florida. Alex King signed MOU on behalf of the Florida Ports Council with the Government of Mexico and the Interoceanic Corridor.
• Enterprise FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2022State's principal economic development agency partnered with Florida Ports Council on Mexico trade mission to promote Florida-Mexico trade relations.
• Good Samaritan Shipping Ministries (GSSM)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2019Nonprofit organization that owns and operates the vessel 'Glory,' a 142' supply boat. Partnered with Port Tampa Bay and Port St. Pete for Hurricane Dorian relief efforts to the Bahamas, providing free dockage and coordination for humanitarian cargo shipments.
• Landstar SystemsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2019Donated eight containers for Hurricane Dorian relief efforts to the Bahamas, enabling transport of 113,500 pounds of medical supplies and dry goods.
• AA American ContainersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2019Provided container certification services for Hurricane Dorian relief shipments to the Bahamas.
• Sims Crane & EquipmentminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2019Supplied crane equipment to load containers aboard the Glory vessel for Hurricane Dorian relief efforts.
• Sol Relief AviationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2019Nonprofit disaster relief group based at Albert Whitted Airport near Port St. Pete, making up to six trips daily to the Bahamas with volunteer pilots during Hurricane Dorian relief.
• JJ Lyon Guard FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2019Nonprofit organization specializing in disaster relief that played a key role in organization and coordination of Hurricane Dorian relief efforts with Port Tampa Bay and Port St. Pete.
• LSN PartnerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLSN Partners was selected by the Florida Ports Council for government relations and strategic initiatives to support the evolving role of Florida seaports in the global economy.
• Port Logistics Refrigerated Services (PLRS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPLRS operates a cold storage and marine container terminal at Port Tampa Bay, handling perishable cargo including fresh produce from Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Costa Rica. The facility spans 135,000 sq.ft. with over 4,000 pallet positions.
• Ports AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTerminal operator partner at Port Tampa Bay working on container build-out program, helping establish the port as an emerging container port.
• Agunsa (AGS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultinational port services company with 91 years of experience across 20 countries. Operating on 18 acres at Eastport and 15 acres at Hookers Point with 20-year lease agreements. Provides ocean transportation, logistics, warehousing, trucking, and airport services.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Georgia Ports Authority: State port authority operating the Port of Savannah and Port of Brunswick, Georgia's equivalent to Florida's port system. Directly comparable as a southeastern U.S. state port authority managing multiple public port facilities and competing for similar cargo markets.
• Port of Houston Authority: State-level port authority operating one of the largest U.S. ports. Comparable as a publicly-operated port authority managing significant cargo throughput, competing with Florida ports for Gulf and international trade.
• American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA): National trade association representing public port authorities across the Western Hemisphere. Directly comparable as a port industry advocacy and coordination body, though operating at a national/international level rather than state level.
• North Carolina Ports: State port authority operating ports in Wilmington and Morehead City. Comparable as a southeastern U.S. state port authority managing public port facilities and competing for similar cargo and trade opportunities.
• Virginia Port Authority: State port authority operating the Port of Virginia (Norfolk, Newport News). Comparable as an East Coast state port authority competing for container cargo, with similar governmental structure and strategic trade positioning.
• South Carolina Ports Authority: State port authority operating the Port of Charleston and Port of Georgetown. Directly comparable as a southeastern U.S. state port authority managing public port facilities and competing for container and bulk cargo in the same regional market.
• Maryland Port Administration: State agency operating the Port of Baltimore. Comparable as a state-level port authority managing a major U.S. port with similar governmental structure, advocacy needs, and competition for East Coast cargo.
• Alabama State Port Authority: State port authority operating the Port of Mobile and other Alabama port facilities. Comparable as a Gulf Coast state port authority managing multiple public port terminals and competing for similar bulk and container cargo markets.

Broad incumbents

• Port of New York and New Jersey: Largest container port on the U.S. East Coast, operated as a bi-state authority. Comparable as a major publicly-operated port authority, though significantly larger in scale and operating across multiple state jurisdictions rather than a single state.
• Port of Los Angeles: Largest container port in the United States, operated by the City of Los Angeles. Comparable as a major publicly-operated port authority, though significantly larger in scale and focused on trans-Pacific trade rather than Atlantic/Caribbean/Latin American trade.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/flaports

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Florida Ports Council, Inc.