Jacksonville’s Role in Supporting Puerto Rico’s Long-Term Rebuilding
- Home
- >
- Cargo Blog
- >
- Jacksonville’s Role in Supporting Puerto Rico’s Long-Term Rebuilding
When Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico in September 2017, the storm left profound human and infrastructure loss across the island. In the years since, steady progress has relied in part on consistent shipping services that keep essential materials, equipment, and consumer goods moving. Jacksonville has long been Puerto Rico’s primary U.S. trade gateway, and JAXPORT and its service providers continue to play a constructive role in the island’s ongoing recovery.
Each week, Jacksonville-based carriers Crowley, TOTE, and Trailer Bridge provide up to seven combined sailings to Puerto Rico. Their vessels move everything from food and medical supplies to construction equipment, building materials, and specialized cargo supporting infrastructure upgrades. These companies operate independently and competitively, yet all maintain deep experience on the trade and a shared commitment to reliable service.
A Longstanding Trade Relationship
For decades, Jacksonville and Puerto Rico have maintained one of the strongest trade lanes in the United States, accounting for more than 85 percent of goods moving between the island and the U.S. mainland. That historic connection positioned JAXPORT and its partners to support reconstruction efficiently and safely after the storm—and to continue meeting the island’s needs as projects advance.
JAXPORT works closely with experienced carriers across all cargo types, ensuring consistent service for customers on both ends of the trade.
Crowley crews load heavy equipment onto a flat rack at the Talleyrand Terminal.
Crowley
Crowley has served Puerto Rico since 1954 and continues to invest significantly in its facilities and fleet. Its two LNG-powered combination container/roll on-roll off vessels, El Coquí and Taíno, operate twice weekly between Jacksonville and Puerto Rico, moving consumer goods, vehicles, and breakbulk cargo such as poles, pipes, machinery, and other materials used in reconstruction projects. Additional barge service supports oversized and non-containerized cargo, including solar panels, cranes, bulldozers, cement mixers, and other heavy equipment.
“We move a lot of cranes and bulldozers and other things necessary for construction,” says Joan Puig Serbia, senior director of business development in Puerto Rico for Crowley Logistics. “These materials serve a key role in projects to enhance the quality of life on the island, including ongoing upgrades to the power grid and water systems.”
Serbia, who was born and raised in San Juan, notes that Crowley’s role as an end-to-end logistics provider enables the company to support a broad range of needs—from medical devices and food to components required for major infrastructure improvements.
“I’m proud to work for a company that believes that every container moved and every project supported is part of the larger mission of helping Puerto Rico continue its journey of reconstruction and resilience,” he adds.
TOTE
TOTE provides a dedicated twice-weekly service from Jacksonville to Puerto Rico, moving a wide range of cargo including construction materials, vehicles, consumer goods, pharmaceutical ingredients, and fresh produce.
The company operates the world’s first two LNG-powered containerships, Isla Bella and Perla del Caribe, which help reduce emissions while delivering reliable, on-schedule service to support the island’s key economic sectors.
Omar Marrero, vice president and general manager for Caribbean services at TOTE Maritime Agency Puerto Rico, brings two decades of public- and private-sector leadership to his role, including significant experience in Puerto Rico’s emergency response and long-term recovery efforts. With firsthand understanding of the challenges faced after the storm, he underscores the importance of TOTE’s focus on dependable service.
“I see my role at TOTE as an opportunity to continue to serve the people of Puerto Rico from a different platform,” Marrero says. “Reliable cargo service is essential to Puerto Rico’s economy and the livelihoods it supports, and we take that responsibility seriously.”
Marrero notes that long-term rebuilding requires coordination, financing, and sustained effort across many sectors. TOTE’s role as a lifeline, he says, is to maintain consistent, high-quality service that supports customers and communities as projects progress.
“Now that funding is in place, rebuilding is a complicated process and it’s going to take time,” he adds. “Our responsibility is to ensure that the goods and materials needed for these efforts continue to move safely and efficiently.”
As the company works to keep essential goods moving, TOTE’s investment in the communities it serves through financial support, in-kind contributions, and volunteer initiatives to strengthen Puerto Rico’s long-term resilience. This includes youth development programs with the Boys & Girls Clubs, economic initiatives such as Junte Boricua, and direct assistance to employees and local communities during times of crisis. Through these efforts and partnerships, TOTE aims to support the island’s well-being in meaningful, lasting ways.
Trailer Bridge
Trailer Bridge has moved project cargo between Jacksonville and Puerto Rico for more than 30 years, using roll-on/roll-off barges capable of carrying exceptionally large or heavy equipment. Its service regularly supports construction and infrastructure work by transporting generators, electrical poles, industrial materials, pharmaceuticals, and other essential cargo.
Trailer Bridge moved oversized equipment to Puerto Rico for power grid rehabilitation.
“For us, supporting the needs of our friends and neighbors on the island is personal,” says Jacob Wegrzyn, vice president of the Caribbean at Trailer Bridge, who also grew up in Puerto Rico. “It aligns with our core value of delivering exceptional service and always going the extra mile.”
The company maintains close relationships with local authorities and customers, helping align cargo movements with project timelines. Wegrzyn notes that new tax incentives designed to stimulate construction, particularly residential development, have the potential to drive economic activity and support long-term growth on the island.
Trailer Bridge recently signed new long-term lease agreements with both the Puerto Rico Ports Authority and JAXPORT, reinforcing its commitment to reliable service and sustained support for shippers moving goods between Jacksonville and Puerto Rico.
The company also invests in community efforts, including an annual golf tournament held on the island that has raised more than $500,000 for Habitat for Humanity’s work in Puerto Rico. “I’ve been fortunate to be able to work on building some of these homes,” Wegrzyn says. “It’s incredibly rewarding to help a family achieve their dream of owning a home when it’s something they weren’t able to do before.”
A Continued Commitment
Rebuilding after a storm of Maria’s scale takes time, coordination, and sustained effort. Jacksonville’s port community—JAXPORT and its three major carriers serving Puerto Rico—continues to provide reliable, efficient service that supports the island’s long-term recovery and economic resilience.
Their work reflects not only decades of experience on the trade but also a shared commitment to the communities they serve.
