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Third generation Longshoreman Vincent Cameron says dredging will boost the local economy.
“I tell you today, that if we dredge, we will see, an increase in boxes and an increase in boxes, [which] means an increase in jobs,” said Vincent Cameron.
JaxPort leaders say the port currently supports more than 130,000 jobs and creates $26 billion in economic impact each year. They say those stats will grow if the river is deepen from 40 feet to 47 feet to allow larger ships.
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Maritime attorney Rod Sullivan he says the reports' finding are not completely true. Sullivan questions claims that Jacksonville can’t compete with other ports. He says the port is already the top one in the Southeast and questions if dredging seven more feet is worth the cost.
“I think the new report, is made out of pipe dreams," Sullivan said. "It’s a much better port than either Charleston or Savannah or Miami. We have such good rail connections, and we have three Interstate highways."