The $43.5 million construction project is designed to combat strong crosscurrents at Mile Point, which will help the Port of Jacksonville serve larger vessels.
The Port of Jacksonville held a groundbreaking ceremony yesterday to celebrate the commencement of the $43.5 million Mile Point project.
The completed project will allow for a much quicker and easier flow of post-Panamax vessels into and out of the port, strengthening the Port of Jacksonville’s opportunity to compete with other ports, Mayor of Jacksonville Lenny Curry told media attendees at the event.
Mile Point is located where the Intracoastal Waterway and the St. Johns River converge. Strong crosscurrents in the area during ebb tide currently make it very difficult for the largest, deep-draft containerships to go through, meaning they can only enter the harbor twice daily at high tide. The project consists of the removal of a 3,110-foot training wall and the addition of a 4,250-foot western leg training wall and a 2,050-foot eastern leg training wall to combat these crosscurrents.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott, who attended the groundbreaking ceremony, said projects such as the construction at Mile Point help bring more jobs to Jacksonville and to Florida. Scott also noted the Port of Jacksonville has been thriving with new customers like Volkswagen and Nestle which now utilize the port.
The United States Army Corp. of Engineers completed the feasibility report and project design for the Mile Point project, scheduled for completion in Fall 2016, and Manson Construction will be responsible for construction.