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Miami's Trade Data Tells a Different Story Than Florida's or even the Nation's

How Census trade data confirms Miami´s role as the connective tissue of Western Hemisphere supply chains

By: Alice Ancona, COO, World Trade Center Miami

Trade headlines this year have mostly been about tariffs, deals, and deficits. But underneath the noise, a more specific and more interesting story is set in the Census trade data for the Miami Customs District, and it speaks not only to who Miami trades with, but more to how it trades. And that distinction turns out to be the whole story.

The Big Picture: Miami Isn't Florida

Beginning with the headline numbers. In 2025, the Miami Customs District ran a $20.5 billion trade surplus: exports of $84.5 billion against imports of $64.0 billion, with the surplus widening through 2026. Florida statewide, over the same period, ran a $36.8 billion deficit. Same state, opposite balance sheets.

That divergence matters. Miami's surplus is concentrated in aerospace, machinery, and pharmaceuticals moving into Latin America; Florida's deficit is driven by vehicles, organic chemicals, and Asia- and Europe-sourced electronics and pharma flowing through the state's other ports. Miami isn't representative of Florida's trade position; it’s the export engine sitting inside a state that, on net, imports far more than it ships out.

Not Just Who Miami Trades With, It's How

The more revealing finding isn't about trading partners at all; they have mostly remained the same. It's about the mechanics of Miami's trade, and it points to something Florida and the nation don't share: Miami is a logistics and re-export hub first, and a manufacturing/origin export hub second.

In 2025, $25.0 billion in re-export volume- foreign goods that transit through Miami largely unchanged- moved through the district's ports, airport, and free trade zones, growing faster than origin exports themselves. That's not a footnote. It's a second, parallel trade economy running alongside Miami's origin/manufactured exports story, and it's the clearest evidence that Miami's value proposition to global business goes beyond just exporting; it's in its foreign trade zones, warehousing, trans-shipment, and customs brokerage.  Said differently, it's in its unique ecosystem, infrastructure, and connectivity.

Nowhere is that clearer than in aerospace.

The Aerospace Story: An Engine-Exchange Hub, Not a Parts Warehouse

Nationally, roughly two-thirds of U.S. jet engine exports are parts, a broad, distributed manufacturing supply chain. Miami's mix is the mirror image: nearly 60% of its engine trade is finished, whole engines, and on the import side that concentration climbs to 72%, more than double the national rate.

That's not a coincidence of geography. It's a business model. Miami's top engine-import sources are, almost exactly, the countries that build jet engines: the United Kingdom (Rolls-Royce), France (Safran/CFM), Canada (Pratt & Whitney), and Germany (MTU), and most have a physical presence in South Florida. Whole engines are flowing into Miami from the source and back out again, consistent with maintenance, overhaul, and lease-pool exchange activity rather than parts distribution. And running underneath all of it is Brazil, Miami's single largest trading partner in nearly every category, anchored by the Embraer aircraft ecosystem; components and engines flowing in, finished airframes and instruments flowing back out.

This is a genuinely different kind of aerospace hub than the rest of the country has, and the data makes the case better than any marketing claim could.

The AI Trade Story: Infrastructure, Not Just Chips

The same “Miami does the exchange, not just the transaction” pattern shows up in the AI hardware boom. Taiwan's imports into Miami are up over 40% year-to-date, matching the Federal Reserve's own research identifying Taiwan and Mexico as the two economies riding the AI infrastructure buildout hardest. And the effect extends beyond trade dollars into logistics: AI-hardware demand, not e-commerce, is now the primary growth engine behind global air cargo volumes; directly relevant to a district where MIA's cargo infrastructure and capacity dominate trade flows.

Costa Rica: The Case Study in Miniature

If one relationship illustrates all of this at once, it's Costa Rica, a market that was never a traditional top Miami trading partner and has nonetheless climbed into the district's top 10 in exports, as well as grown in imports and re-exports simultaneously.

The reason isn't coffee or bananas; fresh produce turns out to be a minor category, despite Costa Rica's global standing as a fruit exporter. It's three overlapping industrial buildouts: a 5G telecom rollout, a semiconductor ecosystem built on Intel's legacy assembly and test operations, and a medical device manufacturing base now hosting 13 of the world's top 30 MedTech firms. Miami sits inside that supply chain, not downstream of it: precision components, electronic parts, and molded plastics flow in; finished surgical instruments, orthopedic implants, and diagnostic equipment flow back out, in the same product categories, simultaneously. When Intel announced the closure of its Costa Rica assembly plant in mid-2025, that event showed up cleanly and specifically in Miami's own trade numbers months later. Miami’s role in supply chains for the region often reflects real corporate decisions as they happen, not just broad trends.

What This Adds Up To

None of this shows up if you only ask who Miami trades with. Brazil, Costa Rica, and the aerospace-manufacturing nations aren't unusual partners; plenty of U.S. ports trade with them. What's unusual is Miami's role inside those relationships: as an exchange hub instead of an endpoint, and a logistics platform instead of merely a port of entry and exit. It's an ecosystem built around MRO, re-export, and trans-shipment infrastructure that Florida as a whole, and the country generally, simply don't replicate.

The tariff and trade-policy environment layered on top of this- a widening set of tariff actions and executive trade deals - makes this distinction more important, not less. Miami's exposure to new trade actions differs meaningfully from Florida's, precisely because its top partners and its underlying business model don't match the state or national average. Understanding that difference is the starting point for understanding how Miami competes and wins.

From Data to Action: Aerospace Defense Americas Comes Home to Miami

The trade data isn't a hypothesis — the aerospace and defense industry is already responding to it.

In July 2026, World Trade Center Miami organized the inaugural Aerospace Defense Americas conference and B2B program at the Farnborough International Airshow in the UK — one of the world's most established aerospace and defense platforms. The results validated the thesis directly: 135 attendees and 75 B2B meetings in a single event, drawing a genuine cross-section of the global supply chain/

This is precisely the ecosystem the trade data points to — primes, engine makers, and specialized tier-1 through tier-3 suppliers, the same layered supply chain structure that shows up in Miami's own engine-exchange trade with the UK, France, Canada, and Germany. Farnborough proved the demand is real and global. The natural next step is bringing it home.

Aerospace Defense Americas returns in 2027 — this time in Miami, Florida.

For a sector where Miami's own trade data already shows a differentiated, hub-based role in global supply chains — not just a trading partner, but an exchange point for maintenance, overhaul, and cross-border manufacturing flows — hosting the Americas edition of this conference in Miami is the connective step between the data and the deal-making. It's an opportunity for primes, OEMs, and suppliers across every tier to engage directly with the market the numbers already describe.

Get involved in Aerospace Defense Americas 2027:

  • Exhibit or sponsor — put your company in front of the primes, tier-1 suppliers, and investors already engaging through this platform
  • Register for B2B meetings — the Farnborough edition proved the format works: targeted, pre-scheduled meetings between suppliers and decision-makers
  • Partner with World Trade Center Miami — for companies evaluating U.S. market entry, nearshoring, or supply chain diversification into the Americas, Miami's trade infrastructure is the on-ramp

Learn more and stay updated on the 2027 Miami program at aerospacedefenseamericas.com or connect directly with World Trade Center Miami at wtcmiami.org.

Analysis based on U.S. Census Bureau / USA Trade Online data for the Miami Customs District and the State of Florida, 2024–2026, supplemented by Federal Reserve, BEA, and third-party industry research.

Want to Dive Deeper?

Check out this Presentation by our COO, Alice Ancona

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Maira Suarez
Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Lemartec

Maira Suarez is a nationally respected construction industry leader with more than 25 years of experience driving strategic growth, cultivating high-impact partnerships, and delivering complex, transformative projects. As Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Lemartec, Maira has played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s long-term vision, expanding its market footprint, and contributing to historic financial success.

Since joining Lemartec’s executive leadership team, Maira has been instrumental in elevating the firm’s competitive positioning and pursuit strategy.

Her leadership was central to the successful Design-Build Cruise Terminal F Expansion and Berthing Re-Alignment project at PortMiami, an achievement that showcased her exceptional strategic instincts, mastery of capture planning, and ability to build winning teams. A formidable force in the industry, Maira has contributed to more than $1 billion in booked backlog in the current year, underscoring her outsized impact on the company’s sustained growth and market leadership.

Maira brings a holistic understanding of the construction process, combining deep knowledge of regulations, cost structures, risk management, and partnership development with a keen awareness of the people and stakeholders involved in every project. This integrated approach has helped secure signature work such as the Design-Build IBIS Parking Garage at Miami International Airport and other marquee infrastructure initiatives. Her ability to forge meaningful, long-term relationships has resulted in partnerships that deliver lasting value for clients, communities, and the company alike.

Equally important is Maira’s commitment to people and culture. A confident and authentic leader, she inspires others to recognize their own potential and pursue excellence. Her dedication to mentorship, team building, and continuous improvement has left a lasting imprint on Lemartec’s organizational culture. In 2023, she spearheaded the Women’s Leadership Forum, reinforcing her commitment to advancing women’s representation and leadership within the traditionally male-dominated construction industry.

Maira also serves on the Miami-Dade County Strategic Task Force to Reduce Inefficiencies in Procurement, appointed by Chairman of the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners Anthony Rodriguez, Jr., reflecting her commitment to public service and community impact.

Maira Suarez’s visionary leadership, instinctive decision-making, and unwavering commitment to overcoming challenges distinguish her as a true industry trailblazer. Her expertise across the entire construction lifecycle and her ability to view challenges holistically continue to raise the bar for excellence in the construction sector and position her as a compelling role model for the next generation of leaders.

Marcela Prado
Founder & CEO, AB Group Shipping

Marcela Alejandra Prado is an international business leader, consultant, and institutional figure with more than two decades of experience in global trade, international logistics, and the development of business ecosystems between Latin America and the United States.

She is the Founder & CEO of AB Group Shipping Corp, an international logistics company headquartered in Miami, specializing in exports, imports, international freight, corporate relocations, and integrated logistics solutions.

Under her leadership, the company has positioned itself as a strategic bridge for businesses seeking to expand, operate, and scale efficiently in global markets, with a strong focus on compliance, reliability, and long-term vision.

As part of her business ecosystem, Marcela is also the founder of MAP Logistics, an operational structure with presence in Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, and Argentina, created to strengthen regional integration, optimize logistics operations across Latin America, and support companies in their internationalization and soft-landing processes into the U.S. market.

She also leads MRP, her transportation and moving company focused on ground logistics and international relocation services, integrating the final mile of the logistics chain with a strategic, personalized, and client-centered approach.

In the institutional arena, Marcela serves as a Director of the Cámara de Comercio Argentino Americana de Florida, where she actively contributes to the design and execution of business integration initiatives, strategic networking platforms, trade missions, and programs that strengthen bilateral ties between Argentina and the United States. Through this role, she promotes collaborative leadership, business internationalization, and tangible opportunities for the Latin American business community.

Committed to social impact and purpose-driven leadership, Marcela is the Founder and President of the Fundación Mujeres Latinas Unidas – Redes sin Fronteras, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering immigrant women and Latin families through education, training, mentorship, and the creation of strong support networks. Through the foundation, she leads leadership programs, scholarships, recognitions, and community initiatives that foster integration, personal growth, and sustainable economic development.

She is also the creator of Mujeres Argentinas de Florida, a community that for more than a decade has connected, supported, and elevated Argentine women abroad, promoting cultural identity, meaningful connections, and professional and personal growth.

Recognized for her business trajectory, institutional commitment, and human-centered leadership, Marcela has received multiple distinctions for her contributions to international trade, the Latin community, and women’s empowerment. She is a frequent speaker, panelist, and host at high-level business forums, institutional galas, and international events throughout the United States and Latin America.

Her personal journey as an immigrant, entrepreneur, and bridge-builder between cultures is a defining pillar of her work. Marcela strongly believes in the power of networks, resilience, and collaboration as drivers of social and economic transformation.

Today, she continues to expand her impact as a connector of people, companies, and countries, guided by a clear vision: to create sustainable opportunities, open international pathways, and demonstrate that business leadership, when exercised with purpose, can be a powerful force for change.

Suzanne Lemaitre
Executive Director, World BASC Organization, Inc.

Suzanne Lemaitre is the Executive Director of World BASC Organization (WBO), an international non-profit business alliance dedicated to promoting secure international trade through close cooperation with governments, international organizations, and the private sector. She has been part of the Business Alliance for Secure Commerce (BASC) since 2003, playing a central role in advancing the Organization’s mission and strengthening its presence across the Americas.

With more than 24 years of experience as an international business professional, and executive studies in High Strategic Management, Ms. Lemaitre has built a distinguished career at the intersection of trade facilitation, supply chain security, and public-private collaboration. Under her leadership, WBO continues to serve as a trusted partner for companies and authorities committed to safeguarding legitimate trade and enhancing supply chain resilience.

In her role as Executive Director, Ms. Lemaitre provides overall strategic and operational leadership for World BASC Organization, ensuring the effective implementation of directives issued by the General Assembly and the Board of Directors. She oversees the Organization’s administration, financial planning, and institutional performance, including the development and execution of the annual action plan, budget, and management reporting.

Ms. Lemaitre plays a central role in strengthening governance and institutional oversight, supporting Board and committee functions, coordinating audits, and ensuring sound risk management and regulatory compliance. She also oversees internal communications, maintains key organizational metrics and works closely with governing bodies to advance policies, procedures, and long-term strategic initiatives aligned with WBO’s mission.

Throughout her career, Ms. Lemaitre has worked extensively with business-led organizations in the United States and Latin America, fostering constructive engagement with customs authorities, control agencies, and international partners to drive economic development and strengthen supply chain security standards. Her leadership reflects a deep understanding of international trade dynamics and the importance of trust-based cooperation across borders.

Ms. Lemaitre is recognized for her ability to bridge cultures, sectors, and institutions, and for her commitment to advancing secure, efficient, and sustainable trade as a foundation for economic and social progress.

Fernanda Figueiredo
VP, Leadership Initiatives & International Affairs SelectFlorida, Inc.

Fernanda Figueiredo serves as Vice President of Leadership Initiatives and International Affairs at SelectFlorida, Inc., where she works closely with the organization’s President to lead high-impact strategic initiatives that advance Florida’s global competitiveness and international profile. In this role, she oversees Florida’s international leadership missions and strategic engagement tracks led by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Cabinet Secretaries, contributing directly to the state’s international economic development priorities.

Fernanda leads a multidisciplinary team responsible for the strategic planning and execution of leadership initiatives, providing senior-level international affairs support and advisory services to state leadership. Her work ensures alignment across agencies and stakeholders with Florida’s broader international strategy. She manages relationships with international dignitaries and senior government officials, serves as a primary liaison for global partnerships and international organizations, and oversees the development of international reports, briefing materials, and actionable recommendations for engaging with international markets.

She is also responsible for managing inbound international delegations to Florida, overseeing the evaluation, coordination, and tracking of engagements to ensure each interaction contributes to a cohesive, market-specific engagement strategy. In parallel, Fernanda serves as SelectFlorida’s Chief Protocol Officer, overseeing all protocol matters related to Florida’s international representation and high-level official engagements.

Her portfolio includes the development and execution of international agreements—such as Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), Memoranda of Cooperation (MOCs), and other strategic frameworks—as well as the organization of targeted international technology and innovation initiatives, including Florida Pitch Days. She also manages sponsorship strategy and activation tied to leadership missions and priority initiatives.

Fernanda plays a central role in coordinating SelectFlorida’s partnerships with state agencies, gateway organizations, and higher education institutions, serving as a key integrator across divisions to ensure unified execution and impact. She is fluent in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, with working proficiency in German and French, enhancing her effectiveness in complex international and cross-cultural environments.

Previously, Fernanda served as Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at SelectFlorida, where she advanced Florida’s International Trade and Business Development strategy and strengthened the state’s positioning as a global technology and innovation hub. Earlier roles include Director of International Strategic Initiatives at SelectFlorida, Trade Manager at Enterprise Florida, Inc., and International Trade & Business Development Specialist at the Economic & Commercial Affairs Office of the Consulate General of Brazil in Miami.

As a representative of SelectFlorida and the State of Florida, Fernanda regularly leads and participates in investment meetings, trade missions, seminars, and international trade shows. She continues to play a pivotal role in shaping and executing initiatives that showcase Florida’s global strengths, reinforcing the state’s position as a premier destination for international investment, trade, and innovation.

Fany Flores-Pastor
Senior Director, Product Management, Descartes

Fany Flores-Pastor is a senior trade technology and product management executive with more than 27 years of experience supporting U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) modernization initiatives. She currently serves as Senior Director of Product Management at Descartes Systems Group, where she leads the strategy and execution of mission-critical U.S. Customs Brokerage and manifest systems used by the global trade community.

Ms. Flores-Pastor has worked extensively at the intersection of trade operations, regulatory compliance, and technology implementation. She has been actively engaged with CBP advisory and technical bodies since 2008, serving as a Trade Ambassador and member of the CBP Technical Advisory Group. She is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Trade Support Network (TSN), where she helps coordinate industry feedback, lead working group efforts, and support CBP and COAC technical initiatives.
 
She has directly contributed to multiple Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) working groups, including the De Minimis Working Group and Task Force, the ACE Modernization Working Group, and the Ocean AMS Streamlining Working Group. Her work has supported ACE modernization, PGA integration, cargo and manifest processing improvements, and the transition from legacy ABI messaging to modern JSON-based interfaces through the ACE Cargo Gateway.
 
Ms. Flores-Pastor brings a software provider perspective grounded in decades of hands-on experience designing, implementing, and supporting systems that operationalize CBP policy. She is recognized for fostering effective public–private collaboration that strengthens compliance, enhances security, and promotes efficient and resilient trade operations.
Ivan Barrios - President and CEO

Ivan Barrios

President & CEO

Ivan Barrios is the President/CEO of the World Trade Center Miami. Ivan has served in this role since January 2020.

He most recently worked as Vice President for International Trade Development & TEAM Florida missions at Enterprise Florida, Inc., the state of Florida’s official economic development agency. He managed a statewide team of trade specialists that assisted Florida companies to export their products and services overseas.

Ivan has organized 28 Governor led trade missions to 22 countries from 1999–2015 for three governors. Special projects included 3,000 one-on-one business matchmaking appointments for exporters, managing two hemispheric trade shows, producing and publishing five Florida International Trade and Services Directories, coordinating the activities of the Florida International Bankers Association and creating the Florida Trade Data Center, a first of its kind information hub for Florida exporters.

Ivan holds a position on the Board of Directors of the World Trade Centers Association, where he represents the North American region. His extensive experience includes serving as a board member for the South Florida District Export Council and the Miami-Dade County International Trade Consortium. Ivan is an alumnus of the University of Miami, where he earned his degree in Business Administration.

Alice Ancona

Chief Operating Officer
Alice Ancona has held this role since January 2020.  She is charged with boosting organizational resilience and value creation of the operations, events, strategic programing, marketing and trade shows of the World Trade Center Miami (WTCM). With over two decades of experience, she brings a wealth of expertise to her position. In addition, she is charged with creating and executing international trade programs, trade missions, economic development initiatives, advocacy efforts, and innovative revenue-generating solutions as well as providing strategic long-term planning for the organization.
Before joining WTCM, Ms. Ancona led the international endeavors of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, serving as a prominent advocate for policies that enhance international trade, logistics, and investments. Her efforts centered on removing trade barriers, expanding market access, facilitating exports, negotiating trade agreements, and strengthening Florida’s trade infrastructure. Ms. Ancona played a pivotal role in connecting Florida to the global trade arena, facilitating relationships with international stakeholders, foreign agencies, elected officials, member companies, and governmental bodies at the state and federal levels.
Prior to her work at the Florida Chamber, Ms. Ancona spearheaded the governmental affairs division at the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. In this capacity, she directed policy agendas on a diverse range of issues, including trade, infrastructure investment, transportation, and workforce development. Her accomplishments include leading successful campaigns for the passage of crucial trade agreements, such as the Colombia FTA, DR-CAFTA, Panama FTA, Chile FTA, and KORUS. She also contributed to efforts to secure the Free Trade Areas of the Americas.
Ms. Ancona’s contributions extend beyond her professional roles.  She is a recognized thought leader and speaker at industry conferences, providing insights on global market dynamics, trade policy, and cross-border strategies. She has actively participated in various steering committees for Florida’s transportation planning initiatives and has been an active member of the Florida International Trade Partnership. Her involvement also includes serving on the Board of the Miami Dade County International Trade Consortium. Her dedication and achievements have earned her recognition, including the 2014 International Women’s Day Award from World Trade Center Miami, the 2015 Person of the Year designation by the Florida Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association, Inc., and the 2016 Women of Distinction Award from the Lauderhill Regional Chamber of Commerce.