JACKSONVILLE, Fla. —Sea-Lead Shipping will be moving part of its operations from California to Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) reportedly to bypass heavy congestion at the Port of Long Beach, Governor Ron DeSantis announced today.
This will be the first U.S. East Coast container service for the company and JAXPORT will serve as the last port of call on Sea-Lead’s Asia East Coast rotation, connecting Jacksonville to 4 locations in Asia, according to the governor’s office.
“In October, in the midst of severe supply chain disruptions we made a public effort to get companies to bring more cargo to Florida ports, and we have seen great results,” said DeSantis.
“Florida’s continued investment in our seaports and transportation infrastructure make this exciting announcement possible. We will continue to make infrastructure investments that keep our supply chain moving and make sure that Florida has a strong workforce ready to support these businesses moving to our state.”
Jacksonville Port Authority is Florida’s largest container port and one of the nation’s largest vehicle-handling ports, according to its website.
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“We are grateful to Sea-Lead for choosing Jacksonville as a port of call on their first US East Coast service and look forward to putting our city’s efficiencies and strong transportation network to work for their customers throughout the Southeast.”,” said Eric Green, CEO of JAXPORT.
Already, Florida’s ports have seen tremendous growth in cargo. Florida’s seaports have been working aggressively to expand cargo operations:
- Port Miami recorded its busiest cargo year in its history, up almost 18% over last year with most of the additional cargo attributed to imports coming from Asia which would normally go into California.
- Port Tampa container tonnage increased by 14% in the first quarter of 2022, with huge jumps in building material specifically. Steel is up 122% and lumber is up 160%.
- Port Everglades saw 11% growth year over year, and they are up more than 25% year to date.
- At Port Manatee, the first quarter of 2022 showed a 15% increase in short tons. Wood products which normally go into California have been coming to Port Manatee instead.
Since 2019, Florida has invested nearly $1 billion into its seaports to ensure that they have the capacity to serve as much cargo as possible. The state has also prioritized infrastructure investments in roadways to ensure capability of handling freight movements.
Sea-Lead is a privately owned global shipping line, headquartered in Singapore, with a presence in 18 countries. The company reportedly has been considering South Atlantic ports for their new vessel service to avoid congestion at the Port of Long Beach.
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Sea-Lead’s new service is initially expected to bring 400-500 loaded containers to be discharged at JAXPORT and will bring in $400,000 in new revenue, according to a press release.
