APS Fulfillment, Inc. Says Newly Opened Panama Canal Expansion Expected to Substantially Increase Traffic to East Coast Ports

APS Fulfillment, Inc. (www.APSFulfillment.com), one of the nation’s leading cost-effective fulfillment and integrated direct mail marketing companies, says the newly opened Panama Canal expansion is expected to substantially increase traffic to East Coast ports, including the Port of Miami.

On Sunday, June 26, the 10-year, $5.5-billion Panama Canal expansion project came to fruition and is expected to reshape the way goods are moved around the world. The expanded Panama Canal boasts nearly triple the capacity of the original canal, allowing ships to increase their volume from 5,000 containers up to 14,000 containers. (Source: “The $5.4 billion HOV lane: Will new Panama Canal expansion boost global trade?” usatoday.com article, June 23, 2016; http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/06/23/panama-canal-expansion-slump/86279016/.)

“The expansion of the Panama Canal will lead to a significant shift in the size and frequency of ships coming to the U.S. East Coast, and change the face of the warehousing and fulfillment industry,” says Charles Aultman, president of APS Fulfillment, Inc. “To accommodate the larger ships and increase in traffic, PortMiami spent $1.3 billion on enhancements, including deepening the main harbor and improving 12 miles of railway infrastructure connecting the port to the mainland. While many East Coast ports are in various stages of dredging, PortMiami is one of the only ones that is big-ship ready.”

Aultman explains that with roughly half of the U.S. population living in the Eastern Time Zone, PortMiami remains one of the most important ports on the East Coast, and is poised to claim an increased number of cargo moving from Asia, Europe, and South America to the U.S. According to some reports, East Coast ports could claim an additional 10% share of container traffic as a result of the Panama Canal expansion. (Source: “East Coast Ports Could See a Substantial Traffic Boost From Panama Canal Expansion–Report,” wsj.com article, June 18, 2015; http://www.wsj.com/articles/east-coast-ports-could-see-a-substantial-traffic-boost-from-panama-canal-expansion-report-1434603601.)

“Prior to the opening of the Panama Canal expansion, goods sent to the U.S. from Asia on large ships that were destined for the East Coast were received on the West Coast, then transported by rail and truck,” Aultman adds. “The Panama Canal expansion is a faster, more competitive, cost-effective way for brands to get their products to customers.”

APS Fulfillment is located in South Florida, in close proximity to all major transportation hubs. It is minutes from Interstate 95, the Port Everglades, and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. It is also just 30 minutes from Miami International Airport and PortMiami, two of North America’s largest export hubs that are in close proximity to South America and the Panama Canal.
“Because of our strategic location, state-of-the-art facilities, and real-time shipping, merchants that use APS Fulfillment can have their products received, inventoried, and shipped in just two days,” Aultman concludes. “This reduces overhead, supports sales growth, and helps brands get their products to their clients quickly and efficiently.”

For more information on APS, visit the company’s website at www.APSFulfillment.com.

APS Fulfillment, Inc. is one of the United States’ leading cost-effective fulfillment and integrated direct mail marketing companies, offering affordable and real-time fulfillment services to small, medium, and large companies. Its state-of-the-art technology provides turnkey solutions for high-volume perfect-match mailings, personalized direct mail, snap-pack mailers, postcards, and triple-tabbed booklets. More information on APS Fulfillment, Inc. is available by visiting the firm’s web site at www.APSFulfillment.com or by calling 954-582-7450.