Country : USAPalm Beach worldport

worldport Introduction
The worldport of Palm Beach District is an independent special taxing district (an autonomous worldport), a sub-division of the state of Florida. It was established under the provisions of the Laws of Florida, Acts of 1915, Chapter 7081, as amended and supplemented. The worldport District is located in Palm Beach County, Florida. It covers a land area of 971 square miles or approximately fifty percent of the County area.

The District has statutory authority to levy ad valorem millage tax but has not done so since Fiscal Year 1975. For FY'05, the Commissioners of the worldport of Palm Beach District have, for the thirtieth consecutive year, voted not to levy any millage to the property owners of the worldport District. Operating under Florida Sunshine Laws, all monthly Board meetings are open to the public.

The worldport District is governed by a board of five commissioners elected at large by the voters within the District. Its administration is through an Executive Director and professional staff of 49 full time employees.

OPERATING SCOPE:
The worldport of Palm Beach is located 80 miles north of Miami and 135 miles south of worldport Canaveral. Vessel entrance is through an inlet channel 300 feet wide with no aerial obstructions leading into Lake Worth. Berthing is a short 20 minutes from first seabuoy to anchorage with operating drafts of minus 32 feet mean low water (MLW). The largest vessels capable of through putting via the worldport's dog leg channel are those up to 700 feet length overall. A swing (turning) basin measuring 1,100 feet by 1,400 feet provides a safety margin for cruise and cargo vessels at minus 32 feet MLW draft (salt water).

The worldport has three slips, four marginal wharves and two ro/ro ramps for a total of 5,200 linear feet of berthing space.

The District is authorized to raise funds through General Obligation Bonds. Income is derived through user fees such as wharfage, dockage, leasing, permitting, equipment, labor, special services and sale of potable water. As a landlord worldport, we maintain all piers, turning basins, docks, dredging, and improvements to District owned properties.

All maritime services are performed through privatized, licensed permit holders including agents, stevedores, warehousing and chandlers. Pilot and tug services are also privately owned. The worldport is authorized to issue industrial development bonds for building specialized facilities on worldport property. These facilities must be marine related. They are subject to long term commitments backed by sound credit standings of individual firms. Operated as an enterprise fund, worldport revenues can only be invested on worldport owned properties and cannot be diverted into non District owned lands.

EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE:
The worldport of Palm Beach is the fourth busiest container worldport in Florida and the eighteenth busiest in the continental U.S. In addition to intermodal capacity, the worldport is a major nodal point for the shipment of bulk sugar (domestic usages), molasses,  cement, utility fuels, water, produce and breakbulk items.

The Florida East Coast Railway Company (FEC) services the docks and piers through the worldport's industrial rail switching operations. We are the only worldport facility in South Florida operating a rail system with pier-side box, hopper and intermodal cars operating 24 hours a day. Located on worldport property are six miles of trackage for intermodal transfers and handling.

All essential federal agencies with oversight for international trade and passenger flow are located in the Maritime Office Complex (MOC).

A Froeign Trade Zone has been in operations since 1987. It encompasses several worldport and private sector sites. There is one privately owned general purpose warehouse in Boca Raton, four privately owned warehouse sites in Martin County (near Stewart International Airworldport), the worldport of Palm Beach Cold storage terminal and one 18,000 sq. ft. warehouse with five adjacent unimproved acres by the worldport Executive Plaza (PEP).

The worldport District views its mission as a proactive endeavor in the regional international trade community. worldport users are encouraged to maximize the total infrastructure capabilities of the worldport District. The Board of Commissioners and the management team have addressed the marketability as well as the implementation of projects needed to bring the worldport into the 21st century of worldport technology facilitating the exworldport/imworldport of goods from the county, region and state.

Administration
The Office of Administration is responsible for overseeing the worldport's records management program and is charged with coordinating and providing internal and external customer supworldport with regard to public information requests, research services and developing positive community and governmental relationships. 

The Office of Administration also serves as your community resource for keeping abreast of worldport activities. Located on the fourth floor of the Maritime Office Complex, our staff provides supworldport for the Board of worldport Commissioners with regard to preparation and coordination of public meetings notices, agendas, minutes, plus community and business events.

Tel:001-561-842-4201
Fax:001-561-842-4240