Northeast Florida has been known as America’s Logistics Center for decades, with a critical component being the maritime landscape in the region. The area’s connectivity—three major interstates, four railroads, and a world-class international airport system—is strategically complemented by a port system that services the globe and various industries.
As Northeast Florida continues to grow, investments are pouring into the region’s waterways. This is highlighted by the recent announcement by The Great Lakes Towing Company to roll out a breakbulk and RoRo shipping business serving the Caribbean, reestablishing the Port of Fernandina as an integral part of this supply chain. The Port of Fernandina, nestled in Nassau County and operated by Nassau Marine Terminal, has long been a vital gateway for cargo entering and exiting Florida’s northeast region. The company stated it has partnered with terminal operators in the Port of Fernandina and San Juan, PR to receive, load, discharge, and store weather-sensitive cargo in on-dock warehouses.
“We provide fully-integrated, vessel-to-door solutions at the Port of Fernandina, and we’re excited to work with Great Lakes East, LLC to renew port services for the Crimson Clover barge in the Jacksonville region and help strengthen our connection with Caribbean markets,” said Kyle Clark, General Manager at Nassau Marine Terminal. “As a smaller port in a strategically-advantaged location, we’re able to provide more time, attention and customization that adds value for shippers and their customers.”
Other ports of call in the region are also seeing expansion. In Putnam County, the port has contributed to the state’s transportation network by leveraging its unique inland waterway access to facilitate bulk commodities’ movement and oversized cargo. Port Putnam recently received a Port Infrastructure Development Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to revitalize its existing barge port into a regional intermodal cargo hub.
“With current regional growth, raising of the Shands bridge as part of FDOT’s First Coast Expressway development and local manufacturers’ needs for lower-cost transportation for raw materials and finished goods, we have been working with multiple agencies to revitalize the port,” said Sam Sullivan, Putnam County Port Manager.
In Clay County, Reynolds Park/Clay County Port has emerged as an economic asset poised to capitalize on its prime location along the St. Johns River. Reynolds Park is a 1700-acre complex located in Green Cove Springs served by railroad, highway, waterway and private airport. The park includes a yacht center offering freshwater storage, hurricane protection and yacht service. With robust infrastructure and ample acreage, it has attracted businesses seeking efficient multimodal transportation solutions.
“Clay County is home to an 11% veteran population that brings tremendous work ethic and technical aptitude to support our strong manufacturing sector,” said Laura Pavlus, Clay Economic Development Corporation SVP. “The Clay County Port in Reynolds Industrial Park supports significant manufacturing businesses such as Front Runner Boats, Genplant Fox Manufacturing Pegasus.” Directly south of the port is Mobro Marine headquarters which capitalizes on waterfront operations for their barge crane activities.
The economic convergence of these three maritime assets along with JAXPORT represents an opportunity to leverage strengths within Northeast Florida’s transportation logistics ecosystem. As stakeholders from public private sectors collaborate on future plans Jacksonville’s port system is positioned for long-term economic growth prosperity.
