JaxPort launches design phase for intermodal facility

   Florida Gov. Rick Scott visited the Jacksonville Port Authority on Monday to kick-off the beginning phase of the Intermodal Container Transfer Facility, which is expected to be completed in 2015. 
   The port said the new facility will increase cargo transfer efficiency between ships and trains.
   The project, with a price tag of $30 million, is funded by state and federal funds. The Florida Department of Transportation is giving $20 million, while JaxPort was awarded a $10 million grant.
   “We’re committed to making Florida the trade gateway to the world,” Scott said at the event. “That’s why we committed funding for this project to create more than 1,000 jobs for Florida families. This project will allow the port to be more competitive and grow more volume, which will create more opportunities for families in the Jacksonville community. We continue to invest in our seaports because they are tremendous economic generators and provide jobs for Florida families.”
   When complete, JaxPort will offer on-dock rail service to the port’s marine terminals in North Jacksonville. According to officials, the new facility will also bring down the cost of drayage from Dames Point or Blount Island and nearby facilities. 
   “The construction of an ICTF is an absolute requirement for our port and region to grow competitively and to ensure we are offering the best services to our customers, and we are pleased to move forward on this project,” Joe York, JaxPort’s chairman, said in a statement.