The US Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) recorded a 13 percent growth in Asian container shipments during the first six months of fiscal year 2017, compared to the same period a year earlier.
From October 2016 to March 2017, JAXPORT moved 178,249 TEUs, against 157,689 TEUs seen in the same period of FY2016 .
“The Asian container trade is the fastest growing segment of JAXPORT’s container cargo business, accounting for 36 percent of the business in the first six months of FY2017, up from 33 percent the same period in FY2016 and just 7 percent in FY2014,” JAXPORT said.
The port has recorded an average of 21 percent annual growth in Asian container volumes during the past five years.
The port plans to deepen the Jacksonville shipping channel to 47 feet to welcome largest containerships as it is called by vessels from ocean alliances including THE Alliance, 2M , and Ocean Alliance.