The federal government has awarded the Jacksonville Port Authority a $20 million grant for the reconstruction of more than 100 acres of existing terminal pavement at the SSA Jacksonville Container Terminal at JAXPORT’s Blount Island Marine Terminal.
The funding is part of a $238 million plan to expand and upgrade the facility, with more than 65 percent of funds coming from private partner SSA Marine.
According to JAXPORT, the enhancements will increase efficiency and allow the terminal to accommodate more containers on an expanded footprint.
Once completed, the facility will be able to handle approximately 425,000 additional twenty foot equivalent units (or TEUs, the industry standard for measuring containers) annually.
Supporters of JAXPORT’s grant application include Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Senator Marco Rubio, Senator Rick Scott, Congressman John Rutherford, Congressman Ted Yoho, Congressman Al Lawson, Congressman Michael Waltz and Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry.
SSA Marine is contributing up to $129.7 million for the use of the terminal and facility upgrades, including the addition of three 100-gauge container cranes.
In addition, $109 million in berth rehabilitation and upgrades are currently underway that will allow the terminal to simultaneously accommodate two post-Panamax vessels.
The federal project to deepen the Jacksonville shipping channel to 47 ft. is scheduled to be complete in 2023, based on continued funding from all partners, and will allow the facility to accommodate more cargo aboard the larger ships calling on JAXPORT from Asia.