Three berths at the Jacksonville Port Authority’s Blount Island Marine Terminal facilities are set for upgrades following approval of $1.5 million in funding for the project.
On April 27, the seven-member JaxPort board unanimously approved a contract with Jacksonville-based Taylor Engineering Inc. to rehabilitate berths 30 through 32 on Blount Island. The project includes design, permitting and construction.
The state will fund 75% of the project, with JaxPort providing the remaining 25%.
The board approved the contract without discussion.
In a memo to the board, JaxPort staff said the goal was to make improvements similar to those made to berths 33 through 35, which were completed in June 2022.
Taylor Engineering said it expected the project to include demolition and replacement of most of the marine and wharf structures on berths 30 through 32.
“The objective is to modernize these berths to safely accommodate larger, deeper-draft vessels, higher ship-to-shore (STS) crane loads, and increased cargo loads,” the memo read.
Work is expected to begin May 4, according to board materials. JaxPort did not provide an expected completion date.
Construction also is underway to build a new berth at Blount Island, with work expected to be completed in early 2027.