OREANDA-NEWS. Miami International Airport kicked off World Trade Month 2015 last Friday, with Miami-Dade Aviation Director Emilio T. Gonzalez speaking about MIA's outsized role in Florida's international trade sector at the WorldCity Trade Connections luncheon. The event, which brought together members of Miami's robust international trade community, was the first of several trade-themed engagements that MIA leaders will participate in throughout the month of May.

"Trade is an indispensable pillar of our local economy and it's driven in large part by an equally indispensable community asset, Miami International Airport, which leads the nation in international trade by air," said Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez.

In addition to participating in the WorldCity Trade Connections event, MIA executives will participate in - and in some cases sponsor - the following events this month: the Air Cargo Europe exhibition in Germany; the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce 2015 Logistics & Trade Conference; the International Air Cargo Association's Executive Summit & Annual Meeting; the Cool Chain Association's Conference on Perishables; and the Florida Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association general meeting. Additionally, MIA will be partnering with World Trade Center Miami to provide industry members from around the globe with site tours of MIA's substantial cargo handling facilities.

World Trade Month comes just as the airport has released its comprehensive 2014 international trade statistics. MIA is America's number one airport for international freight, and trade activity at the Gateway of the Americas continued to perform well in 2014, with total international origin and destination freight topping \\$61.5 billion in value and more than one million tons - nearly half of MIA's 2.2 million tons of total freight for the year. In all, international trade at MIA accounted for:
* 96% of Florida's total international air trade value
* 40% of Florida's total international trade value (air & sea trade)
* 71% of U.S. perishable imports by air
* 91% of U.S. flower imports by air
* 55% of U.S. fish imports by air

"Too often, MIA is simply viewed as a leading passenger hub, but that completely overlooks our airport's massive international cargo operation, which is unmatched in the United States," said Gonzalez. "The statistics speak loudly to MIA's importance to trade and commerce throughout the Sunshine State and beyond, and we'll be highlighting those numbers throughout World Trade Month."