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Tampa strengthens trade and ties with Panama

A tour promoting the city by the mayor and business leaders returns with new alliances for the port, businesses and USF.

By ALEXANDRA ZAYAS
Published October 13, 2005

TAMPA - Just back from a trade mission to Panama, Mayor Pam Iorio and leaders of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce and area businesses gathered Wednesday to tout stronger ties to the city's port and the University of South Florida, and to promote a new tourism initiative.

The group traveled to Panama for three days last week on an "outbound trade mission" to encourage trade relations between Tampa and Panama.

Chamber data show that between 2002 and 2003, exports from Florida to Panama increased by 21 percent. Imports from Panama increased by 10 percent. In total, $741-million was exchanged that year.

And on the latest visit, more connections were made.

"We were greeted in a very gracious way by everyone in Panama," Iorio said. "Panama is a country of about 3-million people, and they were very anxious to do business with us in Tampa." Richard Wainio of the Tampa Port Authority helped coordinate the mission. He signed an agreement with the Panama Canal Authority and Panama Maritime Authority that he said would put Tampa's port on the international map.

"You sign an agreement with the Panama Canal, and the next day, everyone in the maritime world knows that. We got a lot of visibility out of that," Wainio said.

The alliance will increase cooperation between the ports, including joint marketing, and will boost trade along the "all-water route," the route from Asia to the U.S. east coast via the Panama Canal. They agreed to swap data to forecast future trade flows and marketing trends, exchange market studies and share technology.

Tampa Tank, specializing in the design, fabrication and repair of steel plate structures that contain petroleum, water, chemicals and other products, signed a $4.2-million deal with Colon Oil & Services, a company on Panama's Atlantic coast.

Commercial Plastics and Recycling made several connections, including a recycling deal with a major Central American soda and juice bottling company that would lead to an estimated $2-million in profit for the Tampa company.

USF has opened an office in Panama's City of Knowledge, an international complex designed to foster cooperation among universities, scientific research centers, businesses and international organizations.

USF plans to participate in joint research on topics including environmental health, vaccinology, infections and tropical diseases, stem cells and biodefense and other public health-related areas.

Another proposal to increase tourism would create a direct Copa Airlines flight between Tampa and Panama City.

"I think many people from the Tampa Bay area are unaware of many of the wonderful things Panama has to offer from a tourism standpoint, and in turn, people in Panama need to become aware of what we have to offer them here in the Tampa Bay area," Iorio said.

Alexandra Zayas can be reached at 813 226-3354 or at azayas@sptimes.com

[Last modified October 13, 2005, 01:10:16]