Port Everglades is experiencing a surge in international trade with a 11 percent increase in TEUs (20-foot equivalent units, the industry’s standard measurement for container volumes) and a 6.85 percent increase in the dollar value of all waterborne commerce during the first nine months of calendar year 2014 compared to same period in 2013, according Port statistics and a report released today by WorldCity.  According to WorldCity’s data, Port Everglades’ trade with the world totaled $20.17 billion through the first nine months of 2014, which includes containerized cargo, petroleum products and bulk cargoes such as cement. Imports rose 16.21 percent, and exports decreased 1.27 percent. The Port, located in Broward County including the cities of Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood and Dania Beach, is Florida’s top seaport for import/export trade with 17.5 percent of the state’s total international trade.  Port Everglades is also Florida’s leading containerized seaport with more than one-million TEUs during its fiscal year (October 1, 2013 through September 30, 2014).  During its Import/Export Forecast event today in Miami, WorldCity reported that Port Everglades is ranked No. 33 for total trade among the nation’s roughly 450 airports, seaports and border crossings through September 2014. During the same period in 2013, the Port ranked No. 38.  At the crossroads of north-south and east-west trade, Port Everglades serves as a gateway to Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia. Port Everglades is in the heart of one of the world’s largest consumer regions, including a constant flow of visitors and up to a combined 110 million residents and seasonal visitors within a 500-mile radius. Port Everglades has direct access to the interstate highway system and the newly opened 43-acre Florida East Coast Railway intermodal hub, and is closer to the Atlantic Shipping Lanes than any other Southeastern U.S. port. Ongoing capital improvements and expansion will ensure that Port Everglades can continue to handle future growth in container traffic. A world-class cargo handling facility, Port Everglades serves as an ideal point of entry and departure for products shipped around the world.