The US Army Corps of Engineers has begun the Jacksonville Harbor Deepening project to take the federal shipping channel to a depth of 47 feet.
After a decade of study, independent review, public input and full regulatory approval, the Dutra Group recently won the contract to construct the project’s first three-mile segment.
Once completed, the additional seven feet of water depth will allow the largest containerships to call on JAXPORT with larger loads.
Watch the US Army Corps of Engineers' dredging:
More than 1.3 million containers moved through the Port of Jacksonville last year, making it Florida’s largest container port complex.
The Asian container trade, with cargo moving aboard the largest ships calling the US East Coast, continues to be the fastest growing segment of JAXPORT’s container cargo business.
Construction of the first segment of the project is expected to take approximately two years.
Watch how JAXPORT is investing in the future to grow Northeast Florida’s global competitiveness:
On the day that dredging began, Eric Green, JAXPORT CEO, said: “What a huge day for our city, our region and our state.
“Effective federal, state and local leaders working together with our maritime and business communities made this a reality. It is exhilarating to see this historic project come to life to help ensure that we continue to put our citizens to work.”
