Super Bowl Ambitions
JaxPort a Major Player in the South
By David Vergun
The Port of Jacksonville is the largest automobile port in the South and the second largest automobile port--after the Port of New York/New Jersey--in the United States.
"JaxPort," as it is often called, is also the largest export port for Puerto Rico, shipping about 70 percent of the island's goods.
The adage "location is everything" applies to JaxPort. Numerous major highways and rail lines in the Southeast meet in the JaxPort area, making it the "port of choice in the South," according to Port Director David Smolder. He added that JaxPort is relatively close to the massive Atlantic Ocean container port at Freeport in the Bahamas, and said that plans are underway to open a container shuttle service between Freeport and JaxPort.
JaxPort, a public marine terminal, takes up about half of Blount Island--located in the middle of the St. John's River in Jacksonville, Fla.--as well as nearby port facilities at Dames Point and Talleyrand. The other side of Blount Island is used by the Marine Corps for its Maritime Prepositioning Force operations.
The Marine Corps and JaxPort are good neighbors. Each contributed $1.5 million of the construction money needed to build a rail line around the entire island that was completed last year. Previously, JaxPort operations were halted during ammunition rail loading/offloading because trains had to back off by using the island's single rail line. CSX ammunition trains now can exit the island directly from the Marine Corps side without disrupting operations at JaxPort.
JaxPort also maintains a close working relationship with the U.S. Army. During the Gulf War, 120 Military Traffic Management Command ships, carrying some 900,000 tons of cargo, were shipped from JaxPort to Army units in the Gulf. The U.S. Army holds annual logistics training exercises at JaxPort to maintain readiness for future operations.
JaxPort always has been a security-minded port--even prior to 11 September, Smolder said. He said that JaxPort has been a leader in instituting such security measures as: fingerprinting and requiring identification badges for anyone visiting the port more than five times in 90 days; X-raying containers; installing and using an extensive network of closed-circuit cameras; erecting high fences and powerful night lights; and working with local, state, and U.S. Coast Guard law-enforcement personnel.
JaxPort uses 14 gantry cranes to handle the more than 3.5 million tons of containers passing through the port each year. JaxPort also is dredging the harbor--to a depth of 41 feet, from the current 38 feet--to accommodate larger vessels. The dredging is expected to be completed by 2003. The port also plans to build a new rail-holding facility.
JaxPort, with 350 acres of additional land that is not yet developed, Smolder pointed out, is one of the few East Coast ports with ample room to expand. Smolder said he is negotiating with several cruise lines and expects JaxPort to be in the cruise business in time for the Super Bowl three years from now--a shortage of resort-quality hotels in Jacksonville could translate into good business for the cruise ships.
JaxPort is but one of 14 deepwater ports in Florida, but there is every indication that it will continue to grow and prosper during the years ahead. *
The major JaxPort imports are:
From ...
Venezuela gas, oil, cement
Virgin Islands molasses, fish, paper
Canada gravel, limestone, oil
Colombia coal, coffee, bananas
Bahamas limestone, seafood, beer
The port's major exports are:
To ...
Puerto Rico food, cars, furniture
Brazil cars, machinery, aluminum
Bahamas electronics, food, tractors
Venezuela auto parts, aluminum, cars
Mexico paper, machinery, fabrics
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