The Port of Jacksonville (JAXPORT) has set a new monthly record for container volumes in May, with total box movements increasing 37% over the same month in 2020 and reaching 128,900TEU, exceeding the port’s previous monthly container volume record of 123,700TEU set in October 2019.
To date in Fiscal Year 2021, nearly 950,000TEU have moved through JAXPORT, increased by 15% year-to-date, while the port’s fiscal year runs from 1 October until 30 September.
Additionally, year-to-date, volumes for the port’s two largest trade lanes for containers, Puerto Rico and Asia, are up 19% and 18%, respectively.
As cargo volumes grow, the major port in Florida, US is investing to increase efficiency and capacity with the federal project to deepen the Jacksonville shipping channel to 14.3 metres from its current depth of 12.2 metres expecting to be completed through Blount Island in 2022.
Additionally, berth enhancements to enable JAXPORT to simultaneously handle two post-Panamax ships will be completed in coordination with the deepening project, and US$72 million in improvements are currently underway to enable Blount Island to accommodate more containers, according to a statement.
JAXPORT’s auto volumes also continue to rebound from the supply chain disruption created by the pandemic. Through the first eight months of the fiscal year, the port’s auto volumes are up 15% over the same period last year. To date, 435,361 autos have moved through JAXPORT, putting the port on pace to surpass 2020 volumes.
