Jaxport Finishes Roll-On/Roll-Off Cargo Berth to Add Capacity
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The Jacksonville Port Authority has completed half of a $60 million project to increase capacity for vehicle shipments after recently finishing construction on Berth 22 at the port’s Blount Island Marine Terminal.
Now Florida’s largest container port has two dedicated roll-on/roll-off cargo berths with a heavy-lift cargo berth load capacity up to 2,000 pounds per square foot.
A top port for break-bulk and vehicle cargo, Jaxport’s auto processors, Amports and Southeast Toyota Distributors, moved more than 509,000 vehicles last year. Blount Island boasts a 47-foot harbor depth and is close to Jaxport’s Dames Point Intermodal Yard.
“Previously, larger ro-ro vessels calling on Blount Island could only use Berth 20, which is adjacent to Berth 22. Now, we have two dedicated ro-ro berths at Blount Island that can serve larger ships (berths 20 and 22), instead of just one,” said Chelsea Kavanagh, Jaxport’s chief communications officer.
Berth 22 can accommodate vehicle vessels up to 750 feet in overall length. Construction took a year to complete. It is the first of two vehicle berth projects in a $60 million effort to more efficiently handle additional ro-ro cargo.
The number of jobs in Jacksonville's port ecosystem continues to grow 🦺
According to a new study, more than 28,000 people are employed in port-dependent positions — direct, indirect, and induced jobs that rely on the port. These jobs cover a range of specialties, from sales,… pic.twitter.com/vm0TSJpUIL — JAXPORT (@JAXPORT) February 12, 2025
This year also marked the start of the final project phase. A new vehicle berth (Berth 21) will be built over two years. Completion is slated for early 2027.
Enhancing the port’s vehicle berths increases efficiencies for auto customers and provides additional capacity to accommodate future growth, supporting Jaxport’s role as one of the nation’s top vehicle-handling ports.
“Maintaining congestion-free vessel facilities as cargo volumes grow is an important part of our short- and long-term planning processes,” Jaxport CEO Eric Green said. “These upgrades allow us to serve our auto customers more efficiently while providing additional capacity for future growth, so we can continue to build on our position as one of the nation’s top vehicle-handling ports.”
Most of the project, 75%, is being paid for by the Florida Department of Transportation, while Jaxport is contributing the remainder.
According to Jaxport, cargo activity there supports 228,000 jobs in Florida and results in $44 billion in annual economic impact for the region and state.
In a related development, Southeast Toyota Distributors recently opened its 416,000-square-foot parts distribution center in Jacksonville to modernize operations distribution.
Southeast Toyota Distributors' parts distribution center in Jacksonville. (Southeast Toyota Distributors)
The center will soon expand its reach to 80 of the company’s 177 Toyota dealers across Florida, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
“This state-of-the-art facility is a key component of our overall strategy to modernize operations and optimize distribution,” said Eric Carter, group vice president of operations. “It reflects our commitment to better serve our dealers and their customers by ensuring they have the parts and support they need to succeed.”
Meant to support 4.3 million Toyota owners, the parts distribution center features 70 active robots in its automated storage and retrieval system as well as 65,000 unique part numbers.
“With safety and efficiency as priorities, the center includes a dedicated equipment charging area to minimize interactions between workers and machines,” the company noted. “Additional amenities, such as a grab-and-go food market, a game room and lockers, enhance the work environment for associates.”
The center is expected to distribute thousands of vehicle parts and accessories in its first year of service.
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