Christmas Palace Avenue: The power of music -- HSBC HQ, Rua XV Novembro

Curitiba-based HSBC Bank Brazil established the non-profit unit of Instituto HSBC Solidariedade in 2006 to manage its increased social investments in education, the environment and income generation all over Brazil. HSBC’s Education Program sponsors the choir of 160 children from 11 children’s shelters in Curitiba and nearby regions. The objective of the program is to enable children’s development through the support of counseling, education and health services.

This year hundred of thousands of visitors from across Brazil and around the world will see the choir sing and dance from the windows of Palace Avenue – the HSBC headquarters on Rua XV Novembro – each Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening from Nov. 25th to Dec. 18th.

Mayor Brown (far left), J.R. Rodriggs stroll down Rua XV Novembro in downtown Curitiba

On Nov. 25th in Jacksonville, Gov. Rick Scott told WOKV’s radio audience that the successful October economic development trip to Sao Paulo, Brazil resulted in over $60 million worth of contracts. Enterprise Florida organized the delegation of over 250 Floridians seeking to do business with primarily Brazilian aviation and transportation companies. Mayor Alvin Brown and JAXUSA Partnership Pres. Jerry Mallot were among the delegates representing Northeast Florida.

A day in Curitiba

Brown’s side trip to Curitiba on Oct. 25th strengthened and developed existing ties with one of Jacksonville’s Sister Cities. Brown and Joshua “J.R.” Rodriggs, president of BrazilFlorida Alliance met with Mayor Luciano Ducci, officials at ACP (Associação Comercial do Paraná –  the Commercial Association of the State of Paraná) and toured the city.  In the above photograph, Brown and Rodriggs are near HSBC Palace Avenue on 15 November Street (Rua XV Novembro) which would  transform into a Christmas wonderland within a month.

Gallery of Light -- Located between the streets of Rio Branco and Marechal Floriano Peixoto, in downtown Curitiba

The Christmas show opened on Dec. 1st and runs through Dec. 23rd. A parade of dancers and jugglers from various dance schools perform at the Gallery of Light – the show lasts about 40 minutes. It has been staged every year since 1995 by Italian artist Valerio Festi (Studio Festi) to honor the victims of the earthquake in Kobe, Japan. Other than show times, visitors walk through the Gallery’s succession of arched gates decorated with over 50,000 lights while holiday music plays from a state-of-the-art sound system. The Gallery of Light will be lit until Jan. 6th.

 For complete month-long event schedule see Encantado do Natal’s  Website ~~ 

CURITIBA Capital do Natal 

 ♦♦♦

BrazilFlorida Alliance  Holiday Networking Event,   Dec. 13th 5:30pm – 7pm at 

Tento Churrascaria, 528 North First St., Jacksonville Beach.   

Registration  

♦

As a refresher for myself, I’m hitting the replay button on TIGER, burning bright (July 22nd) for a moment —  JaxPort CEO Paul Anderson said, “the port authority has not finalized details for its application but it will likely involve funding of an on-dock rail connection for Dames Point.” [Florida Times-Union]  As noted in The SunRail Effect (July 12th), CSX Corp. committed $40 million for a rail link to the port subject to the construction of an Intermodal Container Transfer Facility (ICTF).”

Fast Forward to this past Monday:

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Oct. 31, 2011 – PRNewswire-USNewswire – Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) today announced its application to the U.S. Department of Transportation for $25 million from the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary Grant for the construction of a $45 million Intermodal Container Transfer Facility (ICTF) at the Dames Point Marine Terminal. The balance of the funding – $20 million – would come from the State of Florida.

The U.S. DOT plans to award the TIGER Grants in early 2012. The JAXPORT ICTF has a target completion date at the end of 2014, contingent upon the awarding of funds.

Proposed area map, David Bauerlein, Graphic by Kyle Bentle FTU

BASICALLY, what’s transpiring here was neatly summarized yesterday by the Florida Times-Union.  Thank you very much, David Bauerlein. 

The Jacksonville Port Authority said Monday it reeled off another record-setting year for cargo containers, breaking through the 900,000 container mark. The TraPac terminal that opened in 2009 near the Dames Point bridge helped drive the record-setting year by accounting for about 150,000 containers.

However, TraPac is operating at just 15 percent of its capacity of 1 million containers per year, leaving the port far short of its potential while it falls farther behind Savannah, Ga., the busiest port in the Southeast. To help gain more business, JaxPort is joining forces with Mayor Alvin Brown, state lawmakers and CSX in pursuing a $25 million grant for a hub where cargo containers would be transferred between freight trains and ships.

Officials said the state has agreed to put $20 million toward the railroad yard, which would complete the financing needed for construction of the railroad yard, known as an intermodal container transfer facility.

TraPac Container Terminal - March 2009 image JaxPort

Meanwhile:

Mayor Alvin Brown was appointed chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Metro Exports and Ports Task Force on Oct. 4th. The task force gives Mayor Brown a national voice regarding port development and global trade. The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more.

He has met with a number of high-ranking officials, including U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, the Congressional Delegation – Rep. Corrine Brown, Rep. Ander Crenshaw, Rep. John Mica, Chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Sens. Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio, as well as Gov. Rick Scott and the Duval Legislative Delegation, to discuss ways to enhance the port’s potential.

 Rep. Mica said, ”Being appointed to chair the Metro Exports and Ports Task Force, Mayor Alvin Brown will bring a great perspective to the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ economic development efforts. The mayor is well suited to lead this panel with Jacksonville’s leading position on exports and ports,”  in a City of Jacksonville press release.

Firstly, the company received a $25 million (A.R.R.A.) grant from the Dept. of Energy in 2009 to develop a pilot-scale biorefinery. The passage below is an explanation of Algenol’s technology (from a press release announcing the DOE award):

Algenol today possesses the most advanced third generation biofuel technology in the United States. It makes low cost ethanol directly from CO2 and seawater using hybrid algae in sealed, clear plastic photobioreactors through its unique, patented Direct to Ethanol ™  technology — all powered by the sun.

Algenol‘s research and development efforts have culminated in a process that produces over 6,000 gallons of ethanol per acre per year, compared to corn at 400. This process achieves an energy balance of more than 5 to 1 and a life cycle carbon footprint that is merely 20 percent of petroleum (an 80 percent reduction from petroleum).

Image from Algenol Website Presentation

Algenol’s founder and CEO, Paul Woods, said that in addition to the federal grant, Algenol needed an additional investment of $50 million to finish construction on the pilot-scale biorefinery. Woods said an undisclosed Asian energy company recently pledged $100 million, which he “gladly” accepted. He was having difficulties securing U.S. institutional investors. The Asian company could then license Algenol proprietary technology to build four large-scale facilities at a total cost of $3.4 billion.

Woods said [to GCBR] that Algenol can produce ethanol from algae for 85 cents per gallon.  Once a full-scale facility is built, it could pay for itself in a year.

The company has been in business five years with no revenue.  Woods and his partners (see below) have invested $70 million into Algenol to date. The company received $10 million in incentives from Lee County to build the biorefinery in Bonita Springs. Woods said that he is not worried that Algenol may not make its first sale until 2013 because it takes years and huge financial resources to build refineries.

I trust Woods knows what he is talking about because he is Canadian energy entrepreneur who retired to Bonita Springs (at 49-years-old) after he built and sold two energy companies in Canada. The first was Alliance Gas Management in Toronto, which Woods took public in 1997 when annual revenues hit $100 million. The second was United Gas Management, a $75 million company he sold in 2000.

Partners —  Dow Chemical Co., The Linde Group, Valero Energy Corp.,  the Mexican business group BioFields. Algenol is also collaborating with several universities including Georgia Tech and Florida Gulf Coast University. 

I have to do further research into the nature of these (significant) R&D and financial partnerships, so for right now this is as far as I can go with Algenol Biofuels.

UPDATE:  Algenol announced on Oct.24th that it had broken ground on the construction of its pilot-scale integrated biorefinery.

NOTE:  The Engineer’s Procrastination Pit posts a technical overview and analysis of algal biofuel process:  Playing the algal game 

Beto Richa é empossado governador do Paraná

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. —  The year began for Beto Richa at Palácio Iguaçu as he was sworn into office as Governor of the state of Paraná.  The Palácio Iguaçu (Devil’s Palace) is the seat of government located in the capitol city of Curitiba, where Richa was most recently its mayor.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Beto Richa governor is sworn in and takes office in Delhi Palace

Beto Richa The governor and lieutenant governor Flávio Arns were sworn in office just now, at 10 am in the Legislative Assembly. The ceremony began with a salute to the new governor by the chairman of the Legislature, Mr. Nelson Justus. Then Beto Richa gave an undertaking to fulfill the constitutional position and soon after, took office as governor. Accompanied by his wife Fernanda, Richa received military honors and went to the Delhi Palace, seat of government of Parana, where he received the office of then Governor Orlando Pessuti.

The city of Curitiba is a Jacksonville Sister City.  Curitiba Mayor Beto Richa and Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton signed the  Sister City designation  in March 2009 - the Brazil Jacksonville Alliance played an integral role in the culmination of the agreement.

From left: Harrold Jonkers, Joshua Rodriggs, Mayor John Peyton, Helen Parker, Mayor Beta Richa

(*see further photo identification below)

As of May 2010 Brazil – Jacksonville Alliance is doing Business as Brazil – Florida Alliance (BFA). While implementing the new strategy, and with continuous support efforts of our members we will develop several networking and training opportunities among Florida companies that share the common goal of growing and developing business with Brazil or Latin America through Brazil.

It’s common knowledge that Brazil is and has been Florida’s number one trading partner for years. Through the initial efforts or Brazil – Florida Alliance (BFA), a city to city relationship was formalized that connected not only Jacksonville to Curitiba – Brazil but also established a better opportunity for Jacksonville and Orlando to work together in developing business with Brazil through Curitiba, a twin city in common for both Florida cities. — Joshua Rodriggs, President, BFA

Expect the synergistic relationship forged between the Richa administration and BFA to broaden in 2011 as  Florida and Paraná seek new methods to increase their economies.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sister City Signing photograph from left: Herrald Jonkers, President, Jacksonville Sister Cities Assoc., Joshua Rodriggs, President, Brazil Jacksonville (Florida) Alliance, Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton, Helen Parker, San Jose Rotary Club and Curitiba Mayor Beto Richa – now Governor of the state of Paraná.

Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba

(featured photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

• Forbes magazine named Curitiba among their World’s Smartest Cities
• Flipside Florida- On a tour:  Curitiba, Brazil

Alberto Alemán Zubieta, CEO, Panama Canal Authority

Panel discussions explored global commerce,  trade and transportation, as well as the Panamanian government’s plans to meet its future energy demands. The business forum was sponsored and chaired by The Economist.

The conference concluded with the president of Panama,  Ricardo Martinelli, discussed his vision and economic priorities  in a “Keynote Conversation” with Justin Thody, Regional Director for Latin America, Economist Intelligence Unit. Panama is in the midst of a booming economy and infrastructure development.

Foreign corporations were the primary audience,  some with U.S. representation – Global agribusiness giant, Syngenta, has a U.S. NAFTA office, while Hamburg Sud is a port tenant at Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT). Domestic corporations included  Procter and Gamble, Caterpillar, Ernst & Young, and Merrill Lynch.

Alberto Alemán Zubieto, the CEO of the Panama Canal Authority underscored that the canal is positioning itself to become the transportation and logistics hub of the Americas.

There are many opportunities to capture the value of our location, particularly by investing in logistics and infrastructure. Panama offers something very unique to world commerce. It is a port with terminals in two oceans.

(L-R): Mayor John Peyton (Jacksonville, FL), Alberto Alemán Zubieta, Rick Ferrin and JAXPORT Board of Directors Chairman, David Kulik

INTERNATIONAL TRADE AGREEMENT PANDEMONIUM  ~~~

The ACP has signed 18 Memorandums Of Understanding (MOU) with U.S. Eastern seaboard and Gulf of Mexico  port authorities as of April 22, 2010. For competitive reasons Flipside Florida is really only interested in Jacksonville – America’s Logistics Center.

PANAMA CITY, Panama, April 20, 2010 – The Panama Canal Authority and Jacksonville Port Authority launched a strategic partnership with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

In essence, the parties agree to undertake a joint marketing effort to generate new shipping business. These joint marketing efforts may include, but are not limited to:  advertising activities aimed at promoting all-water routes;  joint exhibitor booths at maritime events;  joint press conferences; and editorial. An ACP press release was helpful for this particular article.

This partnership is especially important as both the ACP and JAXPORT undertake landmark expansion projects to spur trade and increase economic opportunities. Further, it is emblematic of the Canal’s goals to constantly look for creative ways to serve the  needs of the international maritime community and provide safe, reliable and efficient service to our customers. — Mr. Alberto Alemán Zubieta.

JAXPORT is already strongly connected to the Panama Canal by 13 ocean carriers and more than 600 annual calls in Jacksonville. We regard the opening of the new locks as the beginning of a profound transformation in global cargo patterns, specifically for cargo flowing from and into the United States. We’ll be ready for the completion of the new locks and the dramatic increase of our Canal cargo volume. —   Rick Ferrin, CEO, Jacksonville Port Authority.

JACKSONVILLE, Florida — Meanwhile, JAXPORT needs to dredge the St. Johns River another 10 or so feet. Its current depth is 40 feet. The Army Corps of Engineers – Jacksonville District will release a cost and benefits analysis next year to see if deepening the St. Johns River up to 50 feet is worth $500 million. At the same time, the St. Johns River Water Management District is studying how Orlando’s use of the   St. Johns for drinking water is affecting salinity levels and/or the river’s basic ecosystem.

SAVANNAH, Georgia —  The Georgia Port Authority is light years ahead of the State of Florida in terms of  coordinating its port authorities.  Florida has 14 ports each operating as separate entities with inadequate State funding  to develop its very lucrative trade potential.

In fact, published in the ground-breaking and quite popular magazine, Dredging Today, is Georgia Port Authority explains Savannah River Dredging Impact . The State of Georgia would like to remind  the Jacksonville Port Authority that:

Let us also not forget that Savannah is the only East Coast harbor that is tide regulated.

Panama Canal May 2010 courtesy of ACP

Flipside Florida assumes  the ACE – Jacksonville District will have “learned from past mistakes” to find a $500 million dredging expenditure to be cost effective in a year’s time.

The Florida Times-Union has an interesting overview of Ports 2010, a conference organized by the American Society of Civil Engineers, where this study was announced.

Update REBUTTAL:

I take issue with the Georgia Port Authority (portion).  Florida has 14 ports operating as separate entities and we have inadequate funding. However, you leave out the reasons Georgia might is able to be “light years” ahead. There are only TWO ports there AND they are state owned and operated. JAXPORT is quite content as an independent agency acting as a landlord not an operator. Our tenants prefer to be allowed to run their facilities as they see fit. It is an attractive part of our situation here and does attract business to JAXPORT!

~Nancy Rubin,  Director of Communications, JAXPORT