The Jacksonville Port Authority Board voted to unanimously approve a 25-year agreement with Seattle-based terminal operator SSA Marine to create a $238.7 million international container terminal at Blount Island.
The facility name is SSA Jacksonville International Gateway Terminal, which will stretch approximately 80 acres at Blount Island but has the potential to reach 120 acres.
The terminal will be an expansion of SSA’s current agreement on Blount Island. The terminal will now be able to service larger container comes from the Asian and Pacific lines.
“What this means is that we’re on the map,” Jaxport CEO Eric Green said. ”We’re in the top 15 ports in the country. We have two robust international trade operators, SSA and TraPac. We have a true private partnership with both and this takes us to another level.”
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Last week, Action Jax confirm the initial discussion for negotiations was between TraPac and SSA Marine. Green said TraPac chose to take themselves out of the deal.
“TraPac had just consolidated and merged into the one and instead of them making the sole decision themselves, it was two other companies that were involved in that and they thought at this particular time, it was best to take a pass on the negotiations,” Green said.
The initial phase of the project will begin on August 1. Jaxport agreed to pay $109 million for berth rebuilds and enhancements, while SSA agreed to fund $129.7 million for the facility and cranes.
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Jaxport said the terminal is expected to create more than 3,000 jobs and have a revenue projection of at least $158 million over 25 years.
“We’ve grown 16 percent year after year in Asia and the Pacific trade lane,” Green said. “With both terminals having the ability to capture those volumes, it will be phenomenal for this region.”
This terminal is part of the Jacksonville Harbor Deepening Project. The new terminal will offer a vessel turning basin and deep-water access upon completion of the project.
Each project is expected to be complete by 2023.