JAXPORT’s Berth 35 undergoes upgrades

A project at the South Atlantic port’s Blount Island Marine Terminal on Berth 35 to install a high-voltage electrical system in anticipation of the arrival of three new 100-gauge electric container cranes in nearing completion.    A project at JAXPORT’s Blount Island Marine Terminal on Berth 35 to install a high-voltage electrical system in anticipation of the arrival of three new 100-gauge electric container cranes is nearing completion.
   The berth’s new electrical system includes an on-site transformer substation and a $1 million switchgear building to feed the power needs of each crane, the Jacksonville Port Authority said.
   The cranes, which will be operational by the end of the year, will work on regenerative power, consuming power during the lifting of containers and creating energy as they lower.
   “Berth 35 will offer JAXPORT’s current and future customers even more efficient operations and increased capabilities,” JAXPORT Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Roy Schleicher said. “The rehabilitation project is a major step forward in our $100 million investment in building the port of the future.”
   The Blount Island Marine Terminal is the port’s largest marine facility and one of the largest vehicle import/export centers in the United States, according to the port’s website.
   JAXPORT’s two other cargo terminals are the Talleyrand Marine Terminal and the Dames Point Marine Terminal.