PortMiami welcomes its largest container ship
From David Volz
PortMiami welcomed the CMA CGM Osiris, a Neo-Panamax vessel and, the largest container ship to dock at PortMiami to date. With a capacity of 15,536 TEU’s (twenty foot-equivalent unit), the Osiris is currently on the Manhattan Bridge shipping route connecting China to U.S. East Coast Ports.
“I am so proud of PortMiami, and what it has accomplished following years of infrastructure investments made by Miami-Dade County”, said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “As an alternative to West Coast traffic, PortMiami offers shippers the advantage of open express access to deep-water docks, super post-Panamax electric cranes, a port tunnel with direct highway access, and a national freight rail connection reaching most of the U.S. within four days, in addition to its daily link to Latin America and the Caribbean.”
Since the beginning of the year, PortMiami has serviced three of the largest CMA CGM ships, each with a capacity of more than 13,000 TEUs: the CMA-CGM Argentina followed by the CMA-CGM Magellan, and CMA CGM Christophe Colomb.
“We want to commend CMA CGM for growing that partnership with PortMiami,” added Mayor Levine Cava.
The Osiris, the first vessel of its class calling at the port is expected to move over 1,000 containers through the South Florida Container Terminal (SFCT), one of PortMiami’s cargo operating terminals.
Miami International Airport expects big crowds over Thanksgiving
From David Volz
This year, Miami International Airport expects to have its busiest Thanksgiving travel period ever, with 1.8 million passengers projected from Friday, November 18 through Tuesday, November 29, for a 4% increase over the record-setting period in 2021.
MIA is projected to average 150,000 passengers per day during the 12-day Thanksgiving travel season, compared to 144,000 per day during the same time period in 2021. The busiest travel days are anticipated to be the Sunday before Thanksgiving Day and the Saturday and Sunday after, when more than 160,000 passengers are expected at the airport on each of these days.
Because of the record-breaking projections, MIA is expecting its parking garages to fill to capacity beginning on November 17. Instead of parking at MIA’s main garages, travelers should consider using the airport’s new Economy Park and Ride lot or being dropped off by friends or family, a ride-share service, taxi, or Miami-Dade Transit’s Orange Line.
Valet Parking is also conveniently located at the departures level entrance to MIA’s Dolphin garage, directly across from Door 2 of Concourse D, and in MIA’s Flamingo garage directly across from Door 20 of Concourse J.
Below are additional travel tips from MIA for Thanksgiving travel:
• Arrive at MIA at least three hours before a domestic flight and three and a half hours before an international flight to allow enough time for parking, airline check-in, and security screening.• To expedite the airline check-in process, passengers should check in online before arriving at MIA.
• Passengers departing from concourses D, H, and J during peak times can pre-schedule their TSA checkpoint screening time with, MIA Reserve a free reservation service.
• To streamline TSA checkpoint screening, wear easily removable shoes, follow the 3-1-1 rule for liquids or gels in your carry-on, avoid accessories that resemble weapons, and pack medications in your carry-on instead of your checked bags for easier access.
Miami Dade recognized for taking leadership on environmental actionFrom David Volz
Miami-Dade County has been recognized by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) as one of 122 cities and counties across the globe that are taking bold leadership on environmental action and transparency, despite the pressures of a challenging global economic situation.
Designed to encourage and support local governments to ramp up their climate action and ambition, CDP’s Cities A List is based on environmental data disclosed by local governments to CDP-ICLEI Track. Clear momentum in local climate disclosure and action is building – for the first time, more than 1,000 cities and counties received a rating for their climate action from CDP in 2022, up from the 965 cities and counties scored in 2021. In 2022, just over one in ten local governments scored by CDP (12% of such local governments) got an A.
To receive an A, a local government must disclose publicly through CDP-ICLEI Track and have a community-wide emissions inventory, among other factors. It must have set a renewable energy target for the future and have published a climate action plan. It must also complete a climate risk and vulnerability assessment and have a climate adaptation plan to demonstrate how it will tackle climate hazards. Many A List cities and counties are also taking a variety of other leadership actions, such as a political commitment from the mayor to tackle climate change.A List cities and counties are demonstrating their climate leadership through concerted and effective action, just as national governments are currently being asked to do at COP27. A-List honorees are enacting twice as many mitigation and adaptation measures as non-A List local governments.
Miami-Dade County and the other cities and counties on this year’s A List are also celebrated for showing that urgent and impactful climate action – from ambitious emissions reduction targets to building resilience against climate change – is achievable at a global level, and in places with different climate realities and priorities. However, this action needs to go further, faster.“Miami-Dade County is proud to be recognized as a world leader for our bold climate action, and for our transparency with climate data,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine-Cava. “We are demonstrating our leadership and commitment to achieving ‘net-zero’ through our climate action strategy. Armed with clear data, we are striving to become future-ready by planning for a low-carbon, mass transit and pedestrian friendly community, while working hard to generate and expand access to solar power, make our buildings much more efficient and resilient, and electrify transportation.”
Miami Dade completes first phase of Arthur Woodard Park
From David Volz
The Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department has completed the first phase of development for the two-acre lakefront Arthur Woodard Park, located at 1220 NW 99 St., Miami. These park improvements lay the groundwork for a fully accessible park that includes new and exciting features.
On Friday, November 18, 2022, at 10 a.m., Miami-Dade County District 2 Commissioner Jean Monestime and Miami-Dade County Parks Director Maria I. Nardi will gather at the park for the official ribbon cutting ceremony. Residents of the surrounding Twin Lakes community are invited to join them.
The new park amenities include a pedestrian walkway, a fitness court, a multi-purpose open lawn, an elevated platform for community events, a picnic shelter, picnic tables, a barbeque grill, ten park benches, a bike rack, perimeter fencing and other security features.
“I am very proud to see the new development at Arthur Woodard Park,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “Improvements like this make our park spaces more appealing and accessible, and foster a stronger sense of community. This is one of the great ways that Miami-Dade County continues to build a vibrant, sustainable, and equitable parks system for everyone.”
“With this ribbon cutting, we are moving forward on great things for Arthur Woodard Park and this community”, said Commissioner Monestime. “The improvements will enhance this park as a living legacy to beloved educator and civic leader Dr. Woodard and make lasting contributions to healthy neighborhood living.”
The Park is named after the late Dr. Arthur Woodard, a former principal of Miami-Douglas MacArthur High School North. The lifelong educator, coach, civic activist, and park champion resided across the street from the site and took it upon himself to cut the grass and maintain the land for neighborhood families to enjoy. Since his passing, his children continued their support for developing the land as public park space. Commissioner Monestime supported the designation of the site for park purposes and sponsored the Miami-Dade resolution naming the park after Dr. Woodard.
“We’re excited to provide the community with a beautiful park to enjoy,” said Director Nardi. “These new park upgrades are part of the implementation of the Parks and Open Space Masterplan: a community-inspired vision to build a more equitable and sustainable community through parks, for this and future generations.”
