President Barack Obama visited Jacksonville on Thursday to learn more about the economic opportunities in Jacksonville and how they would contribute to his plan to improve the U.S. economy.
Two Jacksonville port projects were included in the president's "We Can't Wait" initiative July 19, 2012, and the president reacquainted himself with the Jacksonville Port Authority before speaking at its cruise ship terminal.
He heard from operators at the port about the need for investment in the local logistics industry.
"During the tour with the president we had some good, quality one-on-one time with Dennis (Kelly) from TraPac, ILA (International Longshoremen's Association) and myself," said Roy Schleicher, JaxPort interim CEO.
"We were able to talk about the issues: Mile Point, deepening, the ICTF (Intermodal Container Transfer Facility) and what it means to jobs," he said.
Schleicher said the president was inquisitive about the operation and port needs and heard from operators.
"He heard it the way he needed to hear it. Instead of just one person, he heard it from three people," said Schleicher.
TraPac is one of the port's top revenue-producing tenants.
"He understands that we badly need deep water and we badly need a good connection between the ocean and the land," said Tsuyoshi Yoshida, MOL America Inc. president and CEO, a parent company of TraPac.
Obama's "We Can't Wait" initiative streamlines the review and permitting time for projects.
The initiative included a study of deepening Jacksonville's harbor and the development of an intermodal container transfer facility at Dames Point.
When completed, the facility would allow the port to quickly move containers onto rail cars near the dock instead of using trucks to take them to a rail yard across town.
Dennis Kelly, TraPac regional vice president and general manager, said JaxPort had the right person for the job of pursuing port improvements.
"(Obama) understands the problems and, fortunately, we have someone at the top that can do what he has to do to help us solve those problems," Kelly said.
After the nearly 25-minute tour of the Dames Point Marine Terminal, the president arrived at the port's cruise ship terminal to talk about his plans for improving the economy, which included investing in JaxPort.
"We need modern ports so we can move more goods made in America out to the rest of the world. We know strong infrastructure is a key ingredient to a thriving economy," said Obama.
He referred to the investments made by the private sector in ports like Charleston and Savannah.
"But we've got to keep at it. The businesses of tomorrow will not locate near old roads, outdated ports," said Obama.
He said the business sector will find places where ports, roads and rail lines excel and that high-speed Internet, high-tech schools, trained workers and systems that move air traffic are factors.
He also talked about how new "super tankers" will soon start coming through the Panama Canal and how he wanted to see those vessels stop at Jacksonville ports.
"If we have more super tankers here, that means more jobs at the terminals. That means more warehouses in the surrounding areas. That means more contractors are getting jobs setting up those warehouses," said Obama.
"It starts working for everybody," he said.
Meanwhile, St. Johns Riverkeeper Lisa Rinaman opposes the fast-track method being used for the harbor deepening study being conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the JaxPort's request.
"We are asking President Obama to give the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers more time to complete the study and make sure the proposed Harbor Deepening Project has been thoroughly evaluated," Rinaman said in an emailed statement Thursday.
"This critical decision has significant long-term consequences for the St. Johns River and our community, requiring caution and careful scrutiny. We can wait. We must get it right," she said.
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