Container Shipments Surge at JAXPORT

Total container shipments at Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) jumped by 27 percent in the first six months of fiscal year 2018 over the same period last year.

For the period from October 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018, the port authority handled 634,460 TEU.

JAXPORT’s Asian container volumes continued to grow and were up 16 percent in the first six months of the fiscal year, with 209,803 TEU moved. During the past five years, JAXPORT recorded an average of 21 percent annual growth in Asian container volumes.

The port authority’s Puerto Rican volumes surged by 40 percent with 375,633 TEU moved, up from 267,827 during the same time last year.

In early February, the federal project to deepen the Jacksonville shipping channel to 47 feet began construction.

The project was launched after a decade of study, independent review, public input and full regulatory approval.

Once completed, the additional 7 feet of water depth will allow the largest container cargo ships to call on JAXPORT carrying more cargo.