BOSTON — For the seventh time in seven years in office, Gov. Deval Patrick plans to lead a delegation on an international trade mission meant to strengthen the state’s global trade partnerships.
The latest destinations: Panama and Mexico.
Patrick will leave on Monday, March 17, for Panama where he and a delegation of 10 others will spend two days before traveling to Mexico for the remainder of the week. The delegation is scheduled to return to Massachusetts on Saturday, March 22.
After making his first international trade mission to China in 2007, Patrick has travelled more extensively since his re-election in 2010, taking trips to Israel and Great Britain, Brazil and Chile, Colombia, Canada and most recently back to Asia in December when he visited Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Patrick and the delegation plan to meet with Panama’s Minister of Science Dr. Ruben Berrocal as well as the Panamanian Chamber of Information Technology and Communications and officials who oversee the Panama Canal and the City of Knowledge, a government-sponsored cluster of academic organizations and tech companies.
According to the administration, the expansion of the Panama Canal, which is currently underway, could serve to double traffic through the Conley container terminal in South Boston.
In 2012, COPA Airlines added a non-stop flight from Logan to Panama City and as the Panamanian government has focused on developing its science industries. Massachusetts in 2013 exported $22.5 million in goods and services to the country, making it the state’s 51st largest export partner, according to the administration.
From Panama, the delegation plans to leave for Mexico to meet with senior government officials. The governor also plans to meet with leaders in Mexico’s clean energy, big data, life sciences, and transportation industries.
Tod Hynes of XL Hybrids, Tom Pincince of Digital Lumens, Nadav Efraty of Desalitech and Paul Sellew of Harvest Power – all Massachusetts companies – will join the delegation in Mexico.
Mexico is the state’s third largest import and export partner with $3.37 billion worth of good and services imported from Mexico in 2013 and $1.86 billion exported from the state to Mexico.
Other delegation members include: Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Greg Bialecki, Transportation Secretary Richard Davey, Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Rick Sullivan, Massport CEO Thomas Glynn, Massport Port Director Deborah Hadden, Massachusetts Life Sciences Center CEO Susan Windham-Bannister, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative CEO Pamela Goldberg, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center CEO Alicia Barton, Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment C. Richard Elam, and Kristen Rupert, executive director of Associated Industries of Massachusetts International Business Council.