Port Partner Spotlight: BWC Terminals
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Written By Marcia Pledger
JAXPORT handled more than 226 million gallons of liquid bulk cargo last year — products transported in large quantities as liquids, including cooking oil, chemicals, fertilizer ingredients and renewable fuels. Almost all of that cargo moves through facilities operated by BWC Terminals (BWC) at the Talleyrand Marine Terminal.
BWC, a national liquid bulk storage company, has operated at Talleyrand for more than 75 years. The company stores and distributes millions of gallons in above-ground tanks before products are shipped by truck, rail, or vessel to customers across Florida, the U.S., and overseas.
Imported and exported liquid bulk moves through the terminal by barge and ship several times each month and is pumped underground between the dock and storage tanks through a sophisticated pipeline system. Customers can also access the facility via CSX and Norfolk Southern rail lines.
“We provide direct access to key population centers and ports—ensuring efficiency and reliability at every step,” said Director of Operations Alex Sease, who is responsible for half of BWC’s facilities nationwide. “Our facilities are equipped to handle a broad spectrum of liquid products, including renewable fuels, feedstocks, chemicals, petroleum, and agricultural goods. This versatility allows us to meet evolving customer needs,” he said.
Starting with just one tank in 1948, the terminal now has more than 336,000 barrels of capacity for bulk liquids. Common commodities include cooking oil, corn syrup, and molasses as well as specialty chemicals such as caustic soda, fertilizer, acids, petroleum products, base oils, biodiesel, and wax.
“Jacksonville is a key terminal,” Sease said. “We serve a wide range of customers and handle significant volumes of caustic soda. It’s the largest product we store by volume.”
Caustic soda has a multitude of uses, primarily as a cleaning agent as well as in the manufacturing of other products used for cleaning, de-greasing and unblocking drains. It’s also an ingredient used in making soaps, detergents, and even some medications. Demand for caustic soda increased during the COVID-19 pandemic due to its role in paper and hygiene-product manufacturing, and business has remained steady since.
“Because of our unique location, we are centrally located to every major paper mill,” Sease said. “It’s become a hub for customers who serve the paper mills and paper industry.”
JAXPORT’s location in the U.S. helps BWC serve domestic customers within a day’s truck drive, especially Florida’s growing population. Customers served from the Jacksonville terminal include Georgia-Pacific, a manufacturer and distributor of various consumer goods such as household paper products; Rayonier, a pulp and paper mill in Fernandina Beach; and Westway Feed Products, which makes molasses-based liquid feed for cattle.
“JAXPORT’s vessel planning and operations teams coordinate berth scheduling and facilities maintenance, which is key to our ability to store and move cargo in and out of the terminal,” said Sease. “We appreciate the partnership with JAXPORT that enables us to efficiently serve our customers.”
Liquid bulk is an important cargo type that contributes to JAXPORT’s diverse mix of business, supporting jobs and economic activity throughout Northeast Florida and beyond.
