The talk Economic Development in Ponce and the South “New Dawn” was presented on April, 28 at the Ponce Port.The presentation was given by Mr. Jean Paul González Santini, Director of the Office of Economic Development of the Municipality of Ponce. The members of the Board of Directors, partners and clients of Zona Libre del Sur attended to the event.
The Central Ponce Fire Station has a new system of solar panels and backup batteries, an installation that was made possible thanks to a combined investment of $150,000.00 from Solar Responders, Fundación Plaza del Caribe, Church’s Chicken and Zona Libre del Sur. The new system will ensure that the station’s firefighters and paramedics continue to operate and respond to emergencies when power is interrupted. The station serves more than 150,000 people in 10 municipalities.
PORTA SHIP signs contract with CODEZOL, C.D.- FTZ #163, La Zona Libre del Sur. Lic. Johnny R. Fernández, Director, Codezol, C.D. * Mr. Juan Rivera, President Porta Ship, * Mr. Angel Loyola, Vice President of Operations, * Mr. Carlos J. Velázquez Germain, Vice Principal, Codezol, C.D.
Recently, the ZLS signed an agreement with PORTA Ship Maintenance & Repair, so that this company operates a shipyard in the Port of Ponce, under the Free Zone Program. This would be the first shipyard in operation in Puerto Rico, and would allow the owners of boats that have to be repaired, not to be forced to take them to distant places, meaning considerable savings. In fact, they have already received the first boat to be repaired at their facilities.
This company is managed by its two owners, Angel Loyola and Juan Rivera, two young men from the South, from Yauco and Ponce, respectively. The fact of operating under the Free Zone Program will allow them to bring foreign vessels to their premises, without having to pay the taxes that Customs collects on foreign merchandise that enters American jurisdiction, meaning savings for their clients.
We wish and predict the greatest success for these young entrepreneurs.
In this publication we include the presentation of the Acting President: Dr. Jaime L Santiago Canet. To see it you can download it in PDF:
Last Friday, October 18, 2019, the 30th anniversary of CODEZOL, C.D. was celebrated, at the Fusion Restaurant in Ponce. In the activity, the history of the Southern Free Zone was reviewed, as well as its achievements, challenges and the next projects were announced. The attorney Johnny Fernández was the host of this activity. We thank all Codezol employees, customers, partners and friends who came together to share in such an important historical moment.
The Puerto Rico Trade and Export Company (CCE) signed today, August 4, 2017, a collaboration agreement with the Corporation for the Development of the Ponce Free Zone (CODEZOL, C.D.). This alliance has the purpose of uniting efforts to facilitate the marketing of the facilities of the Ponce Regional Distribution Center and the benefits offered by the Free Zone Program to potential industries and companies interested in this center. This was announced today by the executive director of the CCE, Mr. Ricardo Llerandi, and the president of the board of directors of CODEZOL, Mr. Samuel Torres, accompanied by the mayor of Ponce, the honorable María Meléndez.
“This distribution center has a strategic location that is of great benefit to the companies established there, since it is located next to Puerto Las Américas in Ponce. With this important alliance, companies will have the opportunity to become a free zone, which represents important benefits for companies that can mean a positive impact on operational costs and an alternative that makes it easier for them to expand into new markets. This alliance is part of our ongoing efforts to help companies grow and export,” said Mr. Llerandi.
For his part, Mr. Torres indicated that “this agreement will provide CODEZOL with indoor warehouse spaces, which it currently does not have. It will give us the opportunity to get new clients, who could even use the Port of Ponce to move their merchandise. It will also help create jobs, which are so lacking in this region”.
From Tuesday, September 27 to Thursday, September 29, 2016, the XX International Conference sponsored by the Association of Free Zones of the Americas (AZFA) was held in San José, Costa Rica. Over 400 people from 19 countries attended and very interesting topics were discussed by speakers of international caliber.
CODEZOL C.D. was represented by a delegation from our board of directors. At the event and during the general assembly, our executive director, Lcdo. Johnny R. Fernández Ramírez, was elected as director of the Board of Directors, the only Puerto Rican who belongs to said board. The attorney Fernández also belongs to the Legal Committee of AZFA, a committee created to compare and help improve the different legislations of the different member countries of the organization.
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