THE PORT EVERGLADES DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.
Fast Terminal Corp. (Fast), a Florida corporation, was incorporated on February 1, 2013. The company was formed to provide land-based cargo handling services for its sister company, SC Line, S.A., a Panamanian company. Both companies share common ownership. Fast has applied for a cargo handler franchise and wishes to add Port Everglades to its other facilities at Santa Marta, Colombia and Manzanillo, Mexico, providing RoRo (roll on, roll off) processing for heavy equipment, automotive and trucking industry manufacturers, as well as serve the Ro-Ro and break bulk terminal shipping needs of future clients not currently calling at the Port. SC Line, S.A. has been moving cargo through Port Everglades since May 2012 using another franchised cargo handler.
Port staff has reviewed the cargo handler franchise application against the enumerated issuance criteria set forth in Chapter 32 of the Broward County Administrative Code. Staff’s due diligence included corresponding with the applicant’s representative to clarify franchise requirements, and reviewing the applicant’s corporate status, business history/experience, litigation history, insurance, financial documents and creditworthiness, required licenses, company programs and policies, and statement of intended activities. In addition, the applicant’s environmental history was reviewed, and no environmental violations were found.
Staff has determined that the applicant meets the issuance criteria for a new cargo handler franchise. Cargo handler franchises may be issued for any period of time up to ten years. Past practice has been for staff to recommend issuance of a cargo handler franchise for an initial term of one year and each subsequent renewal for a term of up to ten years. Accordingly, staff is recommending that the cargo handler franchise be approved for an initial one-year term, restricted to proprietary cargo handled on vessels owned or chartered by SC Line, S.A. and any other cargo that is “new business” as defined by Section 32.16.b.10 of the Broward County Administrative Code.
The franchise agreement has been reviewed by the Risk Management Division and approved as to form by the Office of the County Attorney. The complete application and supporting documents are on file in the Port Everglades Business Administration Office. |