// CENTRAL FLORIDA SEAPORTS
JACKSONVILLE
(JAXPORT)
Leading port in
U.S. for vehicle
exports.
PORT
CANAVERAL
The Port handles
roughly 4.0 million tons
of dry and liquid
bulk cargo
TAMPA
#1 cargo port
in Florida
• PORT OF JACKSONVILLE (JAXPORT) – JaxPort is one of the leading cargo
ports in Florida, with a trade volume of roughly 937,000 TEUs in 2014, a 1.1
percent increase from the previous year. Nationally, the Port ranks as the 13th
busiest cargo port in the nation, and helps service the Greater Orlando market.
The majority of goods imported for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts pass through
JaxPort, which has the 3rd largest Free Trade Zone in Florida (FTZ). To increase
its importance not only within the region but nationally, JaxPort is the only port
in Florida authorized to transport military cargo for national defense, which ties
the Port nicely to one of the region’s primary economic drivers. The Port is also
planning to undergo renovations to support Post-Panamax vessels, ensuring its
relevance as the shipping industry transitions to a larger vessel model. As part of
the plan, the shipping channel will be dredged to 47 feet, in addition to a $30 million
intermodal container transfer facility that features two 1,200-foot berths and six
Post-Panamax capable container cranes.
• PORT CANAVERAL – While Port Canaveral is primarily known as a cruise port,
ranking as the 3rd busiest cruise port in Florida, improvements are being made
to increase the Port’s importance to commerce. Port Canaveral is centrally
located, which allows cargo to arrive two to three days sooners to Central Florida
warehouses than other Florida ports. Via the intermodal terminal located nearby,
cargo can reach the majority of the state within four hours and two-thirds of the
Southeastern U.S. within eight hours. These geographic advantages are prompting
the $600 million capital investment that includes deepening and widening the
shipping channel, expanding the berths and terminal space to accommodate
more ships and cargo, and the construction of on-dock rail connectivity. These
improvements should position the Port as a stable and viable economic driver
for the region. Another advantage of the Port is its FTZ, which in addition to the
general benefits offered by an FTZ, allows for no duties to be levied for goods sold
to the U.S. Military or NASA, both of which have a significant presence in the area.
• PORT OF TAMPA – The Port of Tampa is the number one economic engine
on Florida’s west coast, supporting nearly 80,000 jobs and having a $15 billion
economic impact on the area. Last year, the Port handled 36.0 million tons of
cargo – equivalent to one-third of all cargo moving in and out of the state. Major
goods handled by the Port are automobiles, steel and petroleum products, which
are the largest volume commodity to pass through the Port. Though these currently
have minimal impact on Greater Orlando, the Port’s expansion and renovations, as
well as excellent connectivity to industrial development west of Orlando, will likely
position the Port to have a greater impact on Orlando in the future.
ORLANDO PULSE // 15