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Port of Miami Ramping Up
 Port officials are working on creating a more inviting Port of Miami. |
Facing fierce competition from nearby seaports, the Port of Miami is getting a makeover. Upgrades include a new customer service program and major renovations to the port’s appearance.
By midyear, the port will unveil new landscaping, shuttle service and a redesigned website, miamidade.gov/portofmiami. A crew of 200 maintenance and housekeeping employees will be visible in the port parking lots, passenger terminals and other public locations. What’s more, all 400 port employees will participate in a new customer service training program. The four-hour training program will be offered through Florida International University’s School of Hospitality Management and the Miami Beach Visitor’s Convention Authority.
“These improvements are on fast track,” says port Director Bill Johnson. “Port users can already see results, and most elements of the program will be in place by spring 2008.”
For cruise and cargo business, the Port of Miami faces stiff competition from Port Everglades in Broward County and Port Canaveral in Brevard County. While Port Everglades is conveniently located near highway and railway arteries, the Port of Miami is downtown, where congestion from cultural events and commuters presents a challenge for commercial and recreational port users. The county is hoping to solve that problem by building a tunnel connecting I-395 to the port.
“The port will work to measure customer satisfaction, establish standards and monitor performance,” Johnson says. “We are also reaching out to our partners, such as the Miami International Airport, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, as well as cruise and cargo lines in efforts to improve our customers’ experience throughout Miami-Dade County.”
