Jacksonville Port Authority

The Jacksonville Port Authority (JPA), also known as JAXPORT, is the independent government agency that owns and operates much of Jacksonville’s Seaport System, including (but not limited to) the following: docks and wharfs, cranes, a passenger cruise terminal, warehouses, paved open storage areas, and road connections to the public highway system. JPA maintains these facilities and manages their overall use. Private companies pay lease and rental fees to JPA in order to operate from the seaport. This revenue funds the day-to-day operations so that public tax dollars are not required. Security guards are on constant patrol, supported by the Seaport Security Unit, made up of 11 officers and 2 sergeants on contract from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office [ [http://www.coj.net/Departments/Sheriffs+Office/Homeland+Security+Division/Seaport+Security+Unit.htm Seaport Security Unit ] ] . Department of Homeland Security also has a presence with United States Customs Service and United States Border Patrol agents.

eaport services & facilities

* JAXPORT Cruise Terminal

* Mayport Ferry
* [http://www.jaxport.com/sea/blount.cfm Blount Island Marine Terminal]
* [http://www.jaxport.com/sea/talley.cfm Talleyrand Marine Terminal]
* [http://www.jaxport.com/sea/dames.cfm Dames Point Marine Terminal]

Jacksonville's Port: Cruises and Cargo

Jacksonville’s port is one of the largest commercial cargo ports on the Atlantic Coast and also features a cruise terminal with service monthly from JAXPORT. [ [http://aapa.files.cms-plus.com/PDFs/North%5FAmerican%5FContainer%5FTraffic.pdf NORTH AMERICA CONTAINER TRAFFIC 2007 ] ]

Cruise Operations

From locations such as Key West and the Bahamas, Carnival Cruise Lines’Carnival Fascination provides year round sailings from the Jacksonville site. [ [http://www.carnival.com/Default.aspx Carnival Cruise Lines: cruise ship vacations, cruise deals ] ]

Cargo Operations

Every year, imported and exported goods are shipped from well over 100 countries through the Jacksonville port. In this harbor, the Jacksonville Port Authority owns the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal and three cargo terminals: the Blount Island Marine Terminal, Talleyrand Marine Terminal and Dames Point Marine Terminal. [http://www.jaxport.com/pdf/overview.pdf overview. 3.12.07:overview.qxd.qxd ] ]

JAXPORT Name

There are two ways in which you can refer to the Port Authority as the “Jacksonville Port Authority” or by its brand name, “JAXPORT”. [ [http://www.jaxport.com/ The Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) ] ]

JAXPORT Vision Statement

The vision of the Jacksonville Port Authority is to be a major economic engine in Northeast Florida by continuing to be a premier diversified port in the Southeastern United States with connections to major trade lanes throughout the world. [ [http://www.jaxport.com/about/about.cfm Jacksonville port, Jacksonville Florida ] ]

JAXPORT's Major Initiatives

1. Grow Port Business: The Port’s cargo business would like to create new jobs and grow the economy in Northeast Florida by emphazing growth in the JAXPORT’s Strategic Plan.
2. Grow Cruise Business: JAXPORT is looking to atrract additional cruise lines to the city and grow exisitng cruise services.
3. Deepen The Harbor: Since the depth of Jacksonville’s harbor is 40 feet, to keep Jacksonville's port competitive, a section of the St. Johns River from Dames Point to Talleyrand is being deepend from its current depth of 38 feet to 40 feet, with the possibility of deepening the main channel to 45 feet.

Port's Economic Impact

Due to the local maritime industry Jacksonville's maritime industry supports more than 50,000 employees. These include private sector jobs such as longshoreman, crane operators, truck drivers, warehouse workers, and others working in industries which rely on the port. [ [http://www.jaxport.com/about/economic.cfm About JAXPORT - Overview - Economic Impact ] ]

Private Facilities

JAXPORT facilities do not handle all the cargo moving over the St. Johns River. In fact, more than 20 maritime facilities in Jacksonville's harbor are owned and operated separately from JAXPORT. These facilities include private dry docks, petroleum terminals and the U.S. Navy's Mayport Naval Station. JAXPORT also does not operate or manage private boat marinas, water taxis, bridges, bus service or the Skyway Express. Those facilities are operated by entities other than JAXPORT.

JAXPORT DOES own and operate the Mayport Ferry. They took this over from the City of Jacksonville in 2007.

Who Governs JAXPORT?

The Jacksonville Port Authority is governed by a seven member Board of Directors. The Mayor of jacksonville appoints four Board members, and the Florida Governor appoints three members. Each member serves a four-year, unpaid term. From its membership, the Board elects its own Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasuer for one year terms. [ [http://www.jaxport.com/about/board.cfm About JAXPORT - Corporate Info - Board of Directors ] ]

Who Funds JAXPORT?

Tax dollars do not pay for any of JAXPORT's day-to-day operating expenses, including Port Authority salaries, utility bills, office supplies and similar costs. Instead private companies lease space and equipment at the port, and in turn JAXPORT uses this revenue to pay its expenses. In 2007, JAXPORT recorded $40 million in operating revenues and grants, and $25 million in operating expenses. JAXPORT also receives state and federal grants to pay for construction (capital) and security projects. JAXPORT itself has no taxing authority.

History

The Jacksonville Port Authority was created by a special act of the Florida Legislature in 1963 to develop, maintain and market Jacksonville's port facilities. [ [http://www.coj.net/default.htm www.coj.net Home Page ] ] Chartered by the state of Florida, the Port Authority was created as a government entity that would operate like a business. Jacksonville airports had been under the control of the Port Authority since its inception, but in May 2001, the Florida State Legislature approved the restructuring of the Jacksonville Port Authority into two separate entities "(City J-Bill-1104)"; the Jacksonville Aviation Authority (JAA) and the Jacksonville Seaport Authority effective October 1, 2001 [http://election.dos.state.fl.us/laws/01laws/ch_2001-319.pdf] .In 2003, the act was amended to reinstate the name Jacksonville "Port" Authority instead of "Seaport". [http://election.dos.state.fl.us/laws/03laws/ch_2003-341.pdf]

References

External links

* [http://www.jaxport.com/ Official website]