The Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) has announced the achievement of a new port record, welcoming the largest container vessel to ever call Jacksonville.
Cape Sounio, a ZIM-owned ship with a capacity of 11,000 TEU, arrived at the port as part of a new service offered by the 2M Alliance, which also includes leading ocean carriers Maersk, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company and Hamburg Süd.
Travelling from Asia to the US East Cost via the Panama Canal, the vessel loaded and offloaded cargo at JAXPORT’s Blount Island Marine Terminal.
Credit: Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT)
This milestone follows a long-term agreement signed in March 2019 by JAXPORT and terminal operator SSA Atlantic for a US$238.7 million container terminal at Blount Island.
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According to JAXPORT, the facility will have an initial capacity of 80 acres, but has the potential to grow as large as 120 acres.
In addition to this, the Jacksonville Harbour Deepening project will offer ships arriving at the port 47 feet of deep-water access, enabling vessels like Cape Sounio to visit JAXPORT with more cargo.
Credit: Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT)
JAXPORT is also investing $109 million in berth rehabilitation and upgrades, a project that has already commenced so that two post-Panamax vessels can be accommodated at the same time.
Kristen DeMarco, JAXPORT Chief Commercial Officer, said: “We are grateful to our 2M alliance partners—ZIM, Maersk, MSC, HMM and Hamburg Süd—for making today’s milestone possible.
“Investments like harbor deepening and our international container terminal at Blount Island ensure that JAXPORT will continue to provide efficient logistics solutions for our customers while growing our region’s economy through the jobs and economic opportunity these bigger ships bring.”
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