Florida lawmakers present $30M to Jaxport for new container cranes

Florida legislators have provided the Jacksonville Port Authority (Jaxport) in Florida $30 million to purchase two new container cranes for the Blount Island Marine Terminal at the Port of Jacksonville.

Jaxport says the cranes will increase the port’s cargo handling efficiencies, which will allow more cargo to move through the port. The new ship-to-shore cranes will replace outdated equipment at the port.

Legislators approved the funding during the past legislative session and presented Jaxport with a check on Monday.

“Our ports must be well-equipped to meet the growing demands of our region, ensuring that supplies make it into the hands of consumers. … The acquisition of these cranes will increase the efficiency and capacity of Jaxport, improving vessel turnaround and supply chain efficiency,” Florida House Speaker Paul Renner said in a release.

Jaxport bills itself as Florida’s largest container port and one of the nation’s top vehicle-handling ports.

The port has access to eastern Class I railroads CSX (NASDAQ: CSX) and Norfolk Southern (NYSE: NSC), as well as regional railroad operator Florida East Coast Railway. It also has access to Interstates 10, 75 and 95.

Jaxport completed two enhancements at Blount Island in 2022, according to its website. It finished a 47-foot harbor-deepening project and $100 million in berth enhancements at SSA Jacksonville Container Terminal so that the terminal can simultaneously accommodate two post-Panamax ships.

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