Anderson top choice for Jacksonville port CEO

Anderson top choice for Jacksonville port CEO    The Jacksonville Port Authority Board of Directors agreed Friday to commence contract negotiations with former Federal Maritime Commissioner A. Paul Anderson as the port's chief executive officer.

Anderson

   Anderson, who served on the FMC in 2004-2008, would succeed Rick Ferrin, who stepped down as executive director Aug. 26. Chris Kauffmann, the port's chief operating officer, has served as interim executive director.
   Following interviews, a selection committee comprising the port’s executive officers ranked Anderson the best of among five candidates presented by an international executive search firm. Two candidates have since withdrawn.

Ferrin

   In addition to the FMC, Anderson has held a number of high-profile public and private-sector leadership positions, most recently as He is a former Senior Fellow of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee at the U.S. House of Representatives. Prior to his FMC appointment, he spent a decade with JM Family Enterprises, a diversified automobile business headquartered in Deerfield Beach, Fla., with its Southeast Toyota operating through Jacksonville's Talleyrand Marine Terminal. He has also served as a Senior Director with Seabulk Marine.
   'Paul's breadth of experience is ideally suited to the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead,' said Dave Kulik, board chairman.

Kulik

   Ferrin led the port for 13 years, which reported 10th consecutive years of operating revenue growth through the fiscal year ended Sept. 30.
   The port authority said it moved a record 826,580 TEUs in its fiscal year ending Sept. 30, a 10 percent increase over the prior year. The increase was largely due to new container business at its Dames Point and Blount Island terminals.
   Jacksonville is a major hub for container, bulk and roll-on/roll-off traffic, handling international cargo and serving as the major hub connecting the U.S. mainland with Puerto Rico. The port handled nearly 519,000 vehicles in its most recent fiscal year, a 24 percent increase from last year. It said it remains the No. 2 vehicle-handling port in the nation. The port's tonnage also increased 10 percent this year, with 8.1 million tons moved.
   Revenues reached a record $51.2 million, a 6 percent increase over the record $48.4 million achieved in fiscal year 2009.
   Much is on the agenda for the port's new top executive. The port wants to further deepen the first 15 miles of the river to 45 feet, which would allow deep draft ships to reach not only the Blount Island and Dames Point terminals, but also private bulk oil terminals operated by Hess and BP that would like to be able to receive fuel from larger tankers.
   In 2009, MOL opened its TraPac terminal, which is used by services operated by the New World Alliance. Hanjin has announced plans to build a $300 million terminal adjacent to TraPac on Dames Point. In December 2009, the port put on hold awarding a design contract for the new terminal because Hanjin and the International Longshoremen's Association had not yet reached an agreement on automation of the terminal. However the ILA and Hanjin in September reached agreement over manning at a planned new terminal that paves the way for construction of a 90-acre container facility at the Dames Point Marine Terminal in North Jacksonville. The $300 million terminal is expected to open for business by 2014.