A Florida delegation led by Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly and Secretary of Transportation Jared W. Perdue visited Italy to strengthen trade ties and expand international business opportunities for Florida’s small and emerging businesses. The visit builds on a previous trade mission by Governor DeSantis in November 2024.
During the trip, SelectFlorida opened a new international trade office in Milan. This office is intended to serve as a hub for promoting bilateral trade, attracting foreign direct investment, and supporting Italian companies interested in establishing or expanding operations in Florida. The delegation also marked the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Lombardy Region to increase collaboration in areas such as trade, economic development, and industrial partnerships.
Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly said, “Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, Florida is not only strengthening its international partnerships but strategically positioning itself as an international hub for innovation, advanced manufacturing and defense technologies. Our engagements in Italy underscore a shared commitment to economic collaboration, technological advancement and workforce development. By forging strong relationships with Italian industry leaders and research intuitions, we create meaningful pathways for Florida’s small and emerging businesses to grow, scale and compete internationally.”
Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared W. Perdue commented on the significance of maritime cooperation: “The relationship between Florida and Italy is already strong and the coalition we have formed between Florida Seaports and Italian Seaports will further strengthen this relationship and pave the way for future economic growth.”
Nick Primrose, SelectFlorida Board Member and Chief of Regulatory Compliance for JAXPORT, added: “This trade mission to Italy bolstered an already powerful alignment between Florida and Italy—one that will have lasting impact across the Mediterranean and Europe. By expanding these strategic partnerships, we are reaffirming our commitment to fostering long-term growth, supporting job creation and strengthening the bridge between our two unique economies.”
While in Genoa, Secretary Perdue led the delegation at the Genoa Boat Show where they met with companies specializing in marine equipment manufacturing, marina operations, boatyard services, and other marine-focused technologies. The delegation also participated in the second meeting of the Italy-Florida Working Group on transportation and logistics. This built upon an earlier MOU signed in April between the Florida Ports Council, Assoporti (the Association of Italian Ports), and Assologistica (the Italian Association of Logistics and Supply Chain Management).
According to recent data from 2024, total merchandise trade between Florida and Italy reached $4.3 billion. This makes Italy Florida’s second largest bilateral merchandise trading partner within the European Union and its 15th largest trading partner overall. Italian majority-owned affiliates employ about 11,000 people in Florida.
FloridaCommerce oversees the state’s economic, workforce, and community development initiatives with a focus on expediting projects that promote job creation across communities. SelectFlorida serves as the state’s official agency for international trade promotion.
