$23M Jaxport grant will aid ‘journey to reach net-zero emissions’

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration has awarded Jaxport a $23.5 million grant to support sustainability initiatives at the Jacksonville, Florida, port’s Blount Island and Talleyrand marine terminals. 

The sustainability initiatives are part of a $47 million public-private project between Jaxport and terminal tenants SSA Jacksonville and Crowley. The project is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, expand energy-efficient terminal infrastructure, increase Jaxport’s cargo throughput and develop a plan to transition to lower-emission port infrastructure and maritime operations. 

“This investment marks a milestone in our initiatives to build the port of the future and move cargo in the most efficient and eco-friendly way possible,” Jaxport CEO Eric Green said in a statement. 

Jaxport said $31.2 million will go toward the purchase of eco-friendly handling equipment — including six hybrid-electric rubber-tired gantry cranes and about a dozen units of low- and zero-emission container top picks, forklifts and related charging infrastructure — for the SSA Jacksonville Container Terminal at Blount Island. 

SSA also is investing more than $40 million for three eco-friendly container cranes that will arrive at Jaxport in February 2023. 

Jaxport said $14.6 million will be spent at Crowley’s Jaxport Talleyrand Terminal for nearly two dozen pieces of zero-emissions equipment for cargo handling, including specialty yard tractors and forklifts and related charging stations for Crowley’s supply chain services.  

The grant also will go toward the addition of 160 refrigerated cargo charging stations to sustainably meet current and future growth needs at the port without using diesel as fuel.

Jaxport said these emissions-reduction efforts build upon Crowley’s investments that increase the efficiency and sustainability of Puerto Rico trade by deploying liquefied natural gas container ships, four forthcoming LNG-fueled ships for the U.S.-Central America trade and a state-of-the-art LNG bunkering facility at the terminal. 

“As we continue our journey to reach net-zero emissions, moving to an electric fleet and more efficient terminal equipment will help us make a major impact in the Jacksonville community, where we already utilize lower-emission fuels, and be leaders in our industry,” said Brett Bennett, Crowley Logistics’ senior vice president and general manager. 

Jaxport also will spend $1 million to support portwide electrification. 

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Click here for more American Shipper/FreightWaves stories by Senior Editor Kim Link-Wills.

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Editor: Kim Link Wills