FDOT Awards JAXPORT Additional Funding for Deepening Project
In September, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) awarded JAXPORT an additional $35.3 million in funding for the Jacksonville Harbor Deepening project. The funding will be used toward exercising the second phase of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ contract B, which will deepen the project’s next 2.5 miles.
To date, the state of Florida has contributed nearly $71.5 million toward harbor deepening. The port said that funding, combined with significant financial support from the federal government and a private tenant, has kept the project two years ahead of schedule, with anticipated completion in 2023, based on continued funding from all partners.
The Jacksonville Harbor Deepening project is divided into four segments, contracts A-D, which make up the full length of the 13-mile federally authorized project. The funding model covers the project’s first 11 miles (contracts A, B and C).
Contractors for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are simultaneously working to complete contracts A and B, which will deepen a total of 8 miles. Contract A is scheduled to be complete in spring 2020, with contract B scheduled to conclude in May 2021. Contract C will deepen an additional 3 miles to Blount Island and is entering the final design phase.
Deepening the Jacksonville shipping channel to 47 feet will allow JAXPORT to accommodate more cargo aboard the larger ships calling on Jacksonville from countries in Asia—including Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, Thailand and more. JAXPORT’s Asian container trade is up 9 percent so far in Fiscal year 2019, which began on October 1, 2018.
“We are extremely grateful that FDOT continues to invest in JAXPORT, furthering our ability to positively impact the economy of our region and state,” JAXPORT CEO Eric Green said.
