Container and vehicle volumes at the port in Jacksonville, Florida, have been “strong” fiscal year-to-date, with vehicle volumes nearing pre-pandemic levels.
The Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) is reporting that the port complex moved more than 1 million containers in the first three quarters of fiscal year 2021, which is 15% higher than what it moved during the same period in 2020.
JAXPORT also moved 20% more vehicle volumes since the start of its fiscal year on Oct. 1, 2020. Vehicle volumes totaled nearly 492,000 units, putting the port on pace to surpass the 556,000 units moved in 2020 and signaling a return to pre-pandemic levels, the port said.
In contrast to the congestion at other U.S. ports, JAXPORT said it is offering shippers “a number of efficiencies, including berth and terminal fluidity, as well as two-way channel traffic with no delays at the sea buoy.”
“Jacksonville’s ease of doing business and our ability to maintain the free flow of cargo on both the waterside and landside make us an attractive option for shippers,” JAXPORT CEO Eric Green said in a release. “Our customer service-oriented terminal operators, sales team and network of service providers offer seamless transportation solutions to help customers increase their speed to market at a time when efficiency matters more than ever.”
The port is seeking to attract customers that want access to the Southeast U.S. and the Florida market. Among the port improvement projects that will be completed by the end of 2022 are the deepening of the Jacksonville shipping channel to 47 feet, as well as construction of a vessel turning basin so that large vessels will be able to turn at the Blount Island berths. Meanwhile, the port anticipates Blount Island to accommodate two post-Panamax vessels following more than $100 million in berth enhancements. There is also $70 million in phased yard improvements underway to increase terminal container capacity.
“The investments that we’re making in our port ensure we will continue to meet the needs of our customers no matter what supply chain challenges the industry faces,” Green said. “Our location and facilities, along with the capabilities of our tenants and port partners, combine to make JAXPORT an ideal global gateway into the Southeast U.S. and particularly the growing Florida market.”
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