Ferrin steps down as Jacksonville port chief

Ferrin steps down as Jacksonville port chief    The Port of Jacksonville said Thursday that Rick Ferrin has stepped down as executive director.

Ferrin

   The agency’s board of directors named Chris Kauffmann, chief operating officer, as interim executive director, and asked port management to initiate the search for a permanent successor to Ferrin.
   Ferrin, who has led the port for 13 years, will “serve in a new position where he will exercise his proven communications and analytical skills to provide the board and senior management with insight and analysis on strategic issues critical to the continued growth of Jacksonville and the port,” the port authority said.
   Board Chairman David Kulik said the port “has grown and changed dramatically in the past decade under Rick's leadership. This natural evolution creates a need, periodically, for new skills and a change in management's focus in order to achieve our long-term goals. Consistent with these discussions, Rick has agreed to step aside and accept a new role at the port.'
   The port authority said container traffic for fiscal year 2009 was nearly 755,000 TEUs, up from 697,000 TEUs in fiscal year 2008. 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.
   In an interview earlier this year, Ferrin said Jacksonville was “looking with great anticipation to the opening of the Panama Canal in 2014 to post-Panamax vessels. I believe that when that happens, there will be a profound change in the way that cargo moves in and out of the United States.'
   Ferrin is a West Point graduate who worked for the Army Corps of Engineers for 20 years, including a stint as a senior project manager for the Panama Canal Commission. He views the canal expansion as an 'incredible opportunity for ports on the East Coast of the United States and Jacksonville stands to gain tremendously.'
   The port has three major terminals scattered along the St. John's River: Talleyrand, Blount Island and Dames Point. Deepening the channel to 41 feet from 38 feet to Jacksonville's downtown Talleyrand terminal, which is 21 miles from the ocean, is nearing completion. Ferrin said depth should be sufficient for the vessels that will call there.
   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.
   If a current feasibility study shows a favorable cost-benefit ratio for that project — and Ferrin said he is optimistic it will — 'we are looking at getting an authorization of the project in the Water Resources Development Act in 2012 followed by authorization in 2013-2015.' He said construction would take about 18 months.
   'This is the last star that would have to align for Jacksonville, the deep water,' Ferrin said. 'I believe that Jacksonville must go for post-Panamax depth because we have post-Panamax ships.
   'We are not going to dig or dredge the channel and hope some carrier or shipper wants to come and build a post-Panamax-capable terminal. I think we have the horses in front of the cart on this one.'
   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.
   But in December, 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.
   Earlier this summer port authority spokesperson Nancy Rubin said the port was still 'poised to award' the contract when the two sides reach a deal. The plan was to open the terminal in 2013, but it is not clear if the negotiations drag on if that will be delayed.
   The port authority is not a direct party in the negotiations between the ILA and Hanjin, but Ferrin said this also reflects one of the benefits the port offers carriers over other South Atlantic ports that have state departments that operate their terminals.
   Carriers 'like the way they can operate here. They can come to Jacksonville and lease from the port of Jacksonville facility for 30 years and operate it the way they want to, because we are a non-operating port,' he said. ' Chris Dupin