Tropical president attributes victory to strong Caribbean advocacy
President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at revitalizing the US shipbuilding industry grandfathered American-owned carriers like Tropical Shipping that currently rely on Chinese-built vessels. The United States Trade Representative (USTR) proposed surcharges that would have cost Tropical Shipping customers an additional $3,000 per 40-foot container load, will not go into effect.
“This is a huge victory for us and the entire Caribbean region that we serve,” said Tropical Shipping president and CEO Tim Martin. “Our voices were heard. We could not have accomplished this without the relentless advocacy from our Caribbean representatives in Washington, DC., our customers, and the many organizations that wrote letters to the USTR describing the devastating multiplier effect these port fees would have had on all of us.”
Martin says a USTR committee member was surprised by the massive response from Caribbean leaders and businesses.
“One of Tropical’s core values is, ‘Responsiveness is our driving force.’ Caribbean communities were our driving force on this issue, and I can’t thank you enough.
I want to give a special thanks to the following:
- Our dedicated employees;
- Our customers;
- Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett, United States Virgin Islands;
- Governor Albert Bryan – United States Virgin Islands;
- Teri Helenese, Director of the Federal Relations Office of the Governor of the United States Virgin Islands;
- President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Guyana;
- Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados and Chair of CARICOM;
- Dr Patrick Antione, CARICOM Private Sector Organization;
- Wazim Mowla, Atlantic Council;
- Caribbean Shipping Association;
- Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association;
- Caribbean Ambassador to the United States;
- Caribbean Tourism Organization;
- Members of the Florida Congressional Representatives.
Martin will continue to advocate in Washington, DC, to strategize the long-term plans to bring US shipbuilding back to the US and how American carriers like Tropical can prepare for the future.
Tropical Shipping is headquartered in Riviera Beach, Florida, and has served the Caribbean market since 1963. Tropical’s transportation services include refrigerated, dry, Full-Container-Load (FCL), Less-than-Container-Load (LCL), small package, consolidation, inland transportation, and global logistics services.
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