Florida lawmakers present $30M to Jaxport for new container cranes

Ship-to-shore cranes will replace outdated equipment, Jacksonville Port Authority says

Florida lawmakers present Jacksonville Port Authority officials with $30 million for two new container cranes. (Photo: Jaxport)

Florida legislators have provided the Jacksonville Port Authority (Jaxport) in Florida $30 million to purchase two new container cranes for the Blount Island Marine Terminal at the Port of Jacksonville.

Jaxport says the cranes will increase the port’s cargo handling efficiencies, which will allow more cargo to move through the port. The new ship-to-shore cranes will replace outdated equipment at the port.

Legislators approved the funding during the past legislative session and presented Jaxport with a check on Monday.

“Our ports must be well-equipped to meet the growing demands of our region, ensuring that supplies make it into the hands of consumers. … The acquisition of these cranes will increase the efficiency and capacity of Jaxport, improving vessel turnaround and supply chain efficiency,” Florida House Speaker Paul Renner said in a release.

Jaxport bills itself as Florida’s largest container port and one of the nation’s top vehicle-handling ports.

The port has access to eastern Class I railroads CSX (NASDAQ: CSX) and Norfolk Southern (NYSE: NSC), as well as regional railroad operator Florida East Coast Railway. It also has access to Interstates 10, 75 and 95.

Jaxport completed two enhancements at Blount Island in 2022, according to its website. It finished a 47-foot harbor-deepening project and $100 million in berth enhancements at SSA Jacksonville Container Terminal so that the terminal can simultaneously accommodate two post-Panamax ships.

Subscribe to FreightWaves’ e-newsletters and get the latest insights on freight right in your inbox.

Click here for more FreightWaves articles by Joanna Marsh.

Upcoming FreightWaves Events
Fraud & Security

Freight Fraud Symposium

Double brokering. AI deepfakes. Identity theft. Freight fraud is an existential threat to the industry. Get ahead of it.

May 20, 2026
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame • Cleveland, OH
Register Now
AI & Technology

Supply Chain AI Symposium

Past the hype. Join operators, founders, and enterprise leaders figuring out how to deploy AI in supply chain.

July 15, 2026
The Old Post Office • Chicago, IL
Register Now
Rail & Policy

Future of Rail Symposium

Reshoring is rewriting freight demand. Join shippers, rail executives, and government officials to shape the next decade.

July 28, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
Fraud & Security Freight Fraud Symposium May 20 • Cleveland, OH

Double brokering. AI deepfakes. Identity theft. Freight fraud is an existential threat to the industry. Get ahead of it.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame • Cleveland, OH Register Now
AI & Technology Supply Chain AI Symposium Jul 15 • Chicago, IL

Past the hype. Join operators, founders, and enterprise leaders figuring out how to deploy AI in supply chain.

The Old Post Office • Chicago, IL Register Now
Rail & Policy Future of Rail Symposium Jul 28 • Chattanooga, TN

Reshoring is rewriting freight demand. Join shippers, rail executives, and government officials to shape the next decade.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now

One Comment

  1. George Walter Floyd

    If conditions don’t improve soon, there won’t be any benefit to have any more cranes..We have too many crooked brokers that are killing our industry!!

Comments are closed.

Joanna Marsh

Joanna is a Washington, DC-based writer covering the freight railroad industry. She has worked for Argus Media as a contributing reporter for Argus Rail Business and as a market reporter for Argus Coal Daily.