The Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) has set a new container volume record while maintaining congestion-free operations during the Fiscal Year 2021.
During the period which ended 30 September, JAXPORT handled over 1.4 million TEU, a 10% increase when compared to the same period in 2020 and up 5% compared to the same period in 2019, the previous record for container volumes.
Throughout the pandemic, the port has managed to stay congestion-free with no vessels waiting at anchorage. Additionally, JAXPORT offers available berth and terminal capacity to easily accommodate vessels displaced by congestion at other US ports.
In October 2021, this led to Hapag-Lloyd announcing that it will be temporarily re-routing its Atlantic Loop 3 service – which connects Europe to the US – to JAXPORT, to “adapt to market needs.” The service is said to bring an estimated 1,000 additional TEU a week through JAXPORT.
“Achieving a container record and strong vehicle volumes while maintaining our efficiencies – all in the middle of a pandemic – speaks to the resiliency and capability of Jacksonville’s maritime community,” said Eric Green, CEO of JAXPORT. “Our port workers, terminal operators and service providers have shown the world that JAXPORT is a solution to the nation’s port congestion problem.
“The support of our elected officials over the years, and particularly throughout the pandemic, has positioned us to grow our port in a manageable way and provide capacity and capability to serve the growing needs of the industry during this time.”
JAXPORT has also recently awarded Superior Construction a $48.8 million construction contract to improve container handling abilities at the SSA Jacksonville Container Terminal. Announced in September 2021, the project will enable the SSA facility to handle around 500,000 TEU annually, an increase of 150% compared to its current throughput.
