Expanded Air and Sea Transshipment Hub Campaign

Air Transshipment Hub Efforts:

The ERSF Team provided research-based arguments and technical assistance to DDEC, Invest Puerto Rico and the Resident Commissioners’ Office (PR Congressional delegate) to justify Puerto Rico getting the same expanded air cargo transfer rights previously given to Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

This was an initial step in US DOT awarding the expanded air cargo transfer rights and passenger flexibility to Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico became the only jurisdiction in the United States to obtain the passenger flexibility component. Economic RSF contract support team continued giving support to PR DDEC, Invest PR, and the private sector in the preparation of a strategic plan of action and investment attraction promotion guidance to help attract domestic and foreign air cargo and logistic companies to consider PR as an ideal location for expansion of operations. In late 2020, the Governor’s Office created the P.R. Air Cargo Committee to address this objective.

CEIV-Pharma Event:

Supported a coalition of industry, government, and academia in organizing an International Air Transport Association (IATA) roundtable on how Puerto Rico’s airport operations can obtain air pharma hub certification (CEIV-Pharma), which is crucial in attracting the lucrative pharmaceutical air cargo business and establishing the Island as a top international logistic/transportation distribution center. The event had over 90 participants, including some from companies from overseas. As a result of the event, P.R. Secretary of Commerce, Manuel Cidre, has offered a $300,000 incentives fund program for companies interested in obtaining CEIV Pharma certification.