With the design of the Intermodal Container Transfer Facility complete for the Dames Point Marine Terminal, JaxPort is moving forward with plans to more efficiently load and unload cargo.
JaxPort will host an "Industry Day" request for qualifications conference April 24 to discuss the design-build of a project that will include a seven-track rail yard at its Dames Point Marine Terminal that will use two wide-span diesel rubber tire gantry cranes to load and unload cargo.
"This is another improvement that will help JaxPort compete for cargo and help us to become the first and last port of call for ships traveling along the East Coast," said Joe Miller, JaxPort senior director of facilities development.
Miller spoke at a Wednesday meeting of the North Florida Logistics Advisory Group at the TraPac administration building at Dames Point.
JaxPort plans to release the Request for Proposal on May 1, with applicants having until June 4 to submit statement of qualifications. Applicants who make the short list will be notified by June 1 and JaxPort staff will make a recommendation to its board of directors by Sept. 9.
The board is scheduled to consider the recommendation at its Sept. 23 meeting.
"It took a group effort to secure funding for this project," said George Gabel, attorney at Holland & Knight and founder of the advisory group.
Local, state and federal government officials along with CSX assisted JaxPort with its TIGER III — Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery — grant application.
JaxPort was awarded $10 million from the program and the Florida Department of Transportation committed $20 million to the project in 2011.
Constructing a near-dock facility will allow for the transfer of cargo to rail without having to place it on trucks to transport it to a railroad yard on Jacksonville's Westside, which will result in reduced traffic on roadways.
JaxPort needs to purchase additional land for the project at Dames Point for the relocation of Dames Point Road and improvements to and the extension of the existing CSX tracks.
A dispute between the land owner and a potential buyer has slowed that process, but JaxPort staff recently received approval from its board of directors to use eminent domain procedures to secure the property if it could not come to an agreement on the land's purchase.
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