Deepened Jacksonville Port Sets New ‘Largest Ship’ Record

Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) has announced a new record with the arrival of the ONE Stork, marking the largest container ship to ever call Jacksonville.

The ship is operated by Ocean Network Express (ONE) within THE Alliance network and has a carrying capacity of 14,000 TEUs. This marks a significant capacity increase from the previous record-setting ship, which had a capacity of 11,923 TEUs.

The ONE Stork is the first of nine larger vessels that will call JAXPORT weekly through the EC5 container service operated by THE Alliance.

Effective May 2023, THE Alliance has upsized the vessels used in the service, replacing smaller ships with six larger 14,000-TEU and three larger 13,000-TEU vessels. The upgraded vessel sizes average a 60% increase in container carrying capacity over previous ships.

As part of the upsizing, the EC5 service now calls the SSA Jacksonville Container Terminal (JCT) at Blount Island, utilizing the terminal’s newly-deepened 47-foot harbor, which provides the draft needed to accommodate larger vessels.

The port continues to make infrastructure improvements in support of JAXPORT’s mission to create jobs and economic opportunity for Northeast Florida.

JAXPORT marked the completion of the Jacksonville Harbor Deepening Project in May 2022. The project involved deepening 11 miles of the federal shipping channel to Blount Island to a depth of 47 feet, from its previous depth of 40 feet, allowing larger ships to call Blount Island and existing ships calling Jacksonville to carry more cargo on board. The project also included a new turning basin allowing larger vessels to turn around at Blount Island berths.

“Pursuing major projects like the JAXPORT Harbor Deepening Project have helped secure Florida as a leader in transportation and supply chain capabilities,” commented Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. “These investments are paying huge dividends for Floridians and all the people our seaports serve, which extends far beyond state lines.”

JAXPORT CEO Eric Green said ONE Stork’s arrival represents another milestone for Jacksonville’s port and community.

“Harbor deepening and the other investments that have been made in our port provide the capability for these larger vessels to call Jacksonville, supporting jobs and economic impact throughout our region and state,” said Green. “We are grateful for the partnership we have with our THE Alliance partners and look forward to their continued growth and success in Jacksonville.”

Later this summer, the SSA JCT will welcome three new 100-gauge container cranes as part of a modernization of the Blount Island terminal.

“We look forward to welcoming more services to this growing gateway as we continue to invest,” said Lauren Offenbecher, President of SSA Conventional.

“Setting the record for the largest vessel to call Jacksonville is truly a success story from investing in our seaports and the need for a robust supply chain network,” added Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Secretary Jared W. Perdue, P.E.

EC5 port rotation includes Laem Chabang (Thailand), Cai Mep (Vietnam), Singapore, Colombo (Sri Lanka), Suez Canal, Halifax (Canada), New York, Savannah, Jacksonville, Norfolk, and Halifax.

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