JAXPORT reaches halfway mark on construction of new vehicle berth

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Construction of a new vehicle berth at the Jacksonville Port Authority’s (JAXPORT) Blount Island Marine Terminal has reached the 50 percent completion mark, advancing a major infrastructure initiative designed to increase efficiency and expand capacity for vehicle vessel calls.

Slated for completion in early 2027, the new Berth 21 will be Blount Island’s third dedicated vehicle berth. The berth is being built adjacent to existing Berth 20 and will share a short causeway leading to vehicle first points of rest on the terminal. Construction of vehicle Berth 21 is part of a $60 million investment at Blount Island that will provide operational flexibility for auto vessel calls.

Progress on the vehicle berth follows the recent completion of an expansion to vehicle Berth 22, which now accommodates larger vehicle vessels up to approximately 750 feet LOA (length overall). Together, the two projects will increase vessel-handling capability while maintaining efficient operations for auto customers.

“As one of the nation’s leading vehicle-handling ports, it’s important that we continue investing in the infrastructure needed to support future demand,” said JAXPORT CEO Eric Green. “Jacksonville’s strategic location and transportation network position us well to serve rising demand for vehicle imports and exports across Florida and the broader Southeast U.S. region.”

The Florida Department of Transportation is funding 75 percent of the project costs, with JAXPORT providing a 25 percent match.

Located at the northern gateway of Florida, the nation’s third-largest car market, JAXPORT provides same-day access to more than 98 million U.S. consumers. Jacksonville is Florida’s largest container port and a national leader in the movement of automobiles and breakbulk cargo. The port is home to three auto processors: AMPORTS and Southeast Toyota Distributors at Blount Island, and Enstructure Auto Logistics at Talleyrand.

In 2025, JAXPORT’s auto processors moved more than 506,000 vehicles. Cargo activity through JAXPORT supports more than 228,000 jobs in Florida and nearly $44 billion in annual economic impact for the region and state.

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Construction of the new vehicle Berth 21 at Blount Island will be complete in early 2027