President Barack Obama stopped by the Port of Tampa Friday afternoon to speak about trade.

Pres. Obama said exports to the Western Hemisphere are up, which is good news for Tampa.

“Tampa is one of the biggest ports in the country and a lot of the business being done here has to do with trade between us and Latin America," Pres. Obama said, "so the fact that it’s gone up 46 percent since 2009 is a big deal for Tampa. And Florida exports to this region are up nearly 30 percent.”

“We've been in a growth mode for four or five years now,” said David Hale, President of Tampa Tank, Florida Structural Steel. “But the good news, we see that continuing.”

After taking a tour of the facility, Pres. Obama announced a new program he believes will keep the momentum going: The Small Business Network of the Americas.  

The program is designed to help small businesses connect with the international market, particularly in Latin America.

“This initiative will make it easier for them to get financing,” Obama said. “It will link them up with foreign buyers who are interested in their products.”
Wade Elliott, the port's senior director of marketing, said trade with Latin America benefits more than just the Port of Tampa.
 
"Over 40 percent of all the export commodities that move out of the port are destined for countries throughout Latin America," he said. "In fact 3 of our top 5 export trading partners are in Latin America so it's a big deal."

Nearly two dozen countries, including Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela, traded nearly three million tons of goods last year.  The number one export was fertilizer.

"But we also move steel, both fabricated steel and recycled steel," Elliott said. "We move fly ash, we move automobiles and construction equipment, quite a variety of things."

Some of the other key imports from Latin America include juice and cement.

Tampa's connection goes even deeper than cargo.  More than a million people board cruise ships headed to the Caribbean every year from the Port of Tampa.

Elliot said the exchange with Latin America will only expand.

Congresswoman Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, touted Pres. Obama's visit to the Port of Tampa and to the Bay area.

In a statement, Castor said, "We have had some great success stories in the Tampa area, and the president's visit underscores the importance of a continued focus on new jobs and growing businesses."

Many representatives from those businesses were at the port Friday to meet with Pres. Obama.

The president's stop in Tampa will cap the week in Florida for the First Family.  On Wednesday, President Obama visited Boca Raton, where he talked about the economy, and on Thursday, First Lady Michelle Obama was in Jacksonville to talk about the importance of supporting military families.