Jacksonville Port Gets $40M to Rebuild Berth 32
Shippers using Jacksonville's Blount Island terminal will see heavier cargo and larger vessels accommodated after reconstruction.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Manufacturing
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The Jacksonville Port Authority received a $40 million federal grant to modernize Berth 32 at Blount Island Marine Terminal. The award is part of a $498 million funding round for 35 port projects across 19 states, which would matter most to operators shipping through Jacksonville's port.
Why it matters
The Berth 32 work responds to a 2010 inspection that found severe corrosion and led to load restrictions on the wharves, and the reconstruction is meant to accommodate larger, deeper-draught vessels and heavier crane and cargo loads. Phase 2C was postponed until terminal demand warranted it, so the timing signals that demand is now strong enough to justify the investment.
The $40 million grant is one share of a $498 million federal round for 35 port projects across 19 states announced October 27. The reconstruction covers about 900 feet of wharf at Berth 32, while nearby Berths 30-32 sit at 40 feet of depth against 47 feet at Berths 33-35.
The players
Jacksonville Port Authority
The Jacksonville Port Authority operates the Jaxport seaport system and manages terminals including Blount Island Marine Terminal.
Maritime Administration
The Maritime Administration is the U.S. Department of Transportation agency that funds port infrastructure and supports the nation's maritime industry.
Taylor Engineering
Taylor Engineering is an engineering firm holding the $1.5 million Jaxport contract for wharf work at Berths 30-32.
The details
The grant funds reconstruction of roughly 900 feet of wharf and raises Berth 32's load-bearing capacity, which lets the terminal handle heavier cargo and cranes. It is Phase 2C of a rehabilitation program covering Berths 30-35, following earlier phases completed in 2017 and 2022. The Jaxport board approved a $1.5 million contract with Taylor Engineering in April for work on Berths 30-32.
Timeline
2010: An inspection found severe corrosion that led to load restrictions on the wharves.
2017: An earlier wharf rehabilitation phase was completed.
2022: The federal channel through Blount Island was deepened, and another rehabilitation phase was completed.
April 2026: The Jaxport board approved a $1.5 million Taylor Engineering contract.
October 27, 2026: The Maritime Administration announced the $498 million funding round.
Market Landscape
The award comes through the Maritime Administration's Port Infrastructure Development Program, which in this round distributed $498 million across 35 projects in 19 states. The Jacksonville work follows a multi-phase rehabilitation of Berths 30-35 that began after the 2010 corrosion findings.
Shippers and logistics operators using Jacksonville's port should expect the deeper, stronger Berth 32 to support larger vessels and heavier cargo once work is complete. Freight planners should consult their carriers and port representatives on scheduling, since the reconstruction timeline was not specified in the source.
The takeaway
The investment signals that Jacksonville's terminal demand is now strong enough to justify a postponed phase of wharf work. Operators relying on the port should track the construction schedule and any changes to load restrictions as the reconstruction proceeds.
Further reading
For related coverage of how industrial infrastructure investment shapes regional production, see Manufacturing news.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Baird Maritime.
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