by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
Don’t be surprised if Gov. Rick Scott announces assistance, possibly today, for the Mile Point problem that impedes ships reaching Jacksonville’s port.
The Daily Record was told that there could be an announcement by Scott soon.
Scott is scheduled to speak at the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce Cornerstone lunch today at the Hyatt Downtown. It is sold out at more than 1,200 seats.
“I’ve heard some rumors, but nothing confirmed,” said Jacksonville Port Authority Chair Dave Kulik Thursday night when asked if the governor’s visit would include an announcement that could benefit the port’s Mile Point project.
“We’ll all just have to wait and see tomorrow (Friday),” said Kulik.
Scott visited Jacksonville’s port in January to find out how Northeast Florida could contribute to his plan of creating jobs.
“With the expansion of the Panama Canal, as well as the expansion of world trade, we’ve got to make sure we have the ports in Florida to take the traffic from the shipping industry,” said Scott during the tour.
“That is something I am going to be very focused on, making sure we have that funding to bring global trade to Florida.”
Sources close to Scott and at the chamber said Thursday night they did not know if the governor planned an announcement about Mile Point.
The port’s Mile Point project aims to change tidal conditions where the Intracoastal Waterway and the St. Johns River meet. The conditions reduce the time available for fully loaded ships to call on Jacksonville’s port.
First Coast Manufacturers Association President Lad Daniels said in November that correcting Mile Point was “a $60 million problem.”
Scott announced plans a week ago to fully fund a $77 million shortfall for a Port of Miami dredging project to deepen the port so that larger ships can enter, saying that the expansion could bring 30,000 jobs to the state.
Scott has touted the expansion of the Panama Canal as an economic boon to Florida that could mean more larger ships calling at Miami.
Jacksonville’s port wants to dredge the St. Johns River and correct Mile Point to accommodate the larger ships.
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Managing Editor Karen Brune Mathis contributed to this report.