JAXPORT Board approves harbor deepening, construction to start next year

Jacksonville, FL — Years in the making, JAXPORT’s Board of Directors has unanimously approved the start of the harbor deepening project.

The scope of the overall project has been scaled back from what was once envisioned, from dredging 13 miles to 11 miles. The change was a response to continued study of the project, environmental factors, and cost. The 13 mile project was expected to cost some $700 million, while this pared down version is $484 million.

“The Jacksonville Harbor Deepening project is the single biggest opportunity to grow our port and reach our potential as a major gateway for international trade,” said JAXPORT Chairman Jim Citrano through a statement provided by JAXPORT.

While the funding for the overall project is still being lined up, this initial phase that now has the green light is fully funded. JAXPORT says this phase involves deepening three miles in from the mouth of the St. Johns River. The harbor will be deepened to 47 feet in order to accommodate the larger vessels that are now in the shipping trade.

Just this past weekend, the largest container ship to ever visit a Florida port stop through Jacksonville at the TraPac Container Terminal at Dames Point. The MOL Bravo moved a “significant” amount of cargo, but couldn’t operate at full capacity because the harbor isn’t deep enough, according to JAXPORT.

With the Board’s approval, construction is now slated to start early next year. This first phase is estimated to take 18 months.