The Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) set a new port record today with the arrival of the vessel ONE STORK, the largest container ship to ever call Jacksonville.
ONE STORK is the first of nine larger vessels that will call JAXPORT weekly through the EC5 container service operated by THE Alliance. Effective May 2023, THE Alliance has upsized the vessels used in the service, replacing smaller ships with six larger 14,000-TEU and three larger 13,000-TEU vessels. The upgraded vessel sizes average a 60 percent increase in container carrying capacity over the previous ships in the service.
“It’s a proud moment to see the investments Florida makes hard at work. Setting this record and accommodating the largest container ship that Jacksonville has ever had is directly linked to the continued investments in our seaports,” said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. “Pursuing major projects like the JAXPORT Harbor Deepening Project have helped secure Florida as a leader in transportation and supply chain capabilities. These investments are paying huge dividends for Floridians and all the people our seaports serve, which extends far beyond state lines.”
“We are pleased to grow as ONE and strengthen our valued partnership with JAXPORT as we expand our fleet and broaden our service reach,” said ONE Director East Coast and Gulf Port Ops Louis Ferrer. “The operational capabilities of Jacksonville’s harbor to accommodate vessels of this size make JAXPORT a great fit for us. We are pleased that our customers will continue to benefit from direct service and efficient transit times between Asia and the Southeast U.S. offered through the EC5.”
As part of the upsizing, the EC5 service now calls the SSA Jacksonville Container Terminal (JCT) at Blount Island to utilize the terminal’s newly-deepened 47-foot harbor, which provides the water draft needed to accommodate the larger vessels. SSA Jacksonville Container Terminal is operated by SSA Marine, one of the largest terminal operators in the Americas.
“SSA’s efficiencies continue to grow as we are making significant progress on the modernization of the SSA JCT on Blount Island,” said Lauren Offenbecher, President of SSA Conventional. “We will welcome three new 100-gauge container cranes later this summer. We look forward to welcoming more services to this growing gateway as we continue to invest.”
Cargo activity through Jacksonville’s seaport supports 138,000 jobs in Florida and $31 billion in annual economic impact for the region and state. The port continues to make infrastructure improvements in support of JAXPORT’s mission to create jobs and economic opportunities for the citizens of Northeast Florida.
“This great news shows the product of solid partnerships and steadfast support from our Governor, Ron DeSantis. Florida continues to step up to the plate and work together to bring major returns on investments to our local communities and the state as a whole,” said Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Secretary Jared W. Perdue, P.E. “Setting the record for the largest vessel to call Jacksonville is truly a success story from investing in our seaports and the need for a robust supply chain network. The Department looks forward to the additional growth and future successes with our seaport partners.”
“We are thrilled to welcome the largest ship ever to visit JAXPORT. This historic moment signifies the ongoing growth and progress of our community's economic development,” said JAXPORT’s Jacksonville City Council Liaison Ron Salem. “The increased capacity of our port and the arrival of larger vessels like this will enable us to serve our customers and partners better while creating jobs and driving economic growth for our region. We look forward to continued success and prosperity as we solidify our position as a premier destination for global trade.”
“Today’s arrival of the ONE STORK represents yet another milestone for our port and community,” said JAXPORT CEO Eric Green. “Harbor deepening and the other investments that have been made in our port provide the capability for these larger vessels to call Jacksonville, supporting jobs and economic impact throughout our region and state. We are grateful for the partnership we have with our THE Alliance partners and look forward to their continued growth and success in Jacksonville.”
THE Alliance is a strategic partnership among ONE, Hapag-Lloyd, HMM, and Yang Ming.
The EC5 port rotation is: Laem Chabang (Thailand) – Cai Mep (Vietnam) – Singapore – Colombo (Sri Lanka) – Suez Canal – Halifax (Canada) – New York – Savannah – Jacksonville – Norfolk – Halifax.
Common commodities on this service may include consumer goods such as furniture, electronics, appliances, and medical equipment. The service also provides export opportunities for items such as forest products, resin, and clay.
Located in the heart of the Southeast U.S., JAXPORT is Florida’s No. 1 container port by volume and one of the nation’s top vehicle-handling ports. Jacksonville offers fast and efficient vessel operations with a 47-foot deepwater shipping channel, two-way ship traffic with no berth or terminal congestion, and same-day access to 98 million U.S. consumers.
SSA JCT is Jacksonville’s largest international container terminal by volume operating on 100 acres at JAXPORT’s Blount Island Marine Terminal. JCT offers high berth productivity for vessel operations and exceptional terminal service tailored to meet customer needs. In July 2023, JCT will welcome the delivery of three additional STS cranes capable of handling the largest container vessels in service today.
