Berth Enhancements

In coordination with the completion of the 47-foot Jacksonville Harbor Deepening Project through Blount Island, JAXPORT recently completed $100 million in berth enhancements at the SSA Jacksonville Container Terminal (JCT) at Blount Island.

The SSA JCT now features a 47-foot channel depth with 2,400 linear feet of newly rebuilt berthing space capable of simultaneously accommodating two post-Panamax container ships.

The multi-faceted berth rehabilitation project began in 2016 by installing a high-voltage electrical system equipped to power up to 10 state-of-the-art environmentally friendly container cranes, including three already in use and an additional three currently on order by SSA Atlantic.

Together, the berth improvements and eco-friendly cranes increase energy efficiencies, reduce emissions from diesel-powered cranes and enhance night-time operations by adding high-powered LED lighting. The berths also offer on-dock rail for cargo handling and feature heavy lift capabilities, including one of the nation’s highest weight-bearing capacity docks.

Complementing the reconstructed berths and new cranes, more than $72 million in phased yard improvements are underway to enable the SSA JCT to accommodate 500,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) annually.

The Jacksonville Harbor Deepening Project included the construction of a new vessel turning basin that now allows larger vessels calling the SSA JCT to turn around at Blount Island berths.