THE Jacksonville Port Authority has received US$10 million of the $25 million in federal grants to build an intermodal rail terminal as part of Washington's Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery programme.

    While Jaxport says its container volume will not surpass Savannah's, the Florida port sells itself as an alternative to shippers looking for cheaper and faster service than the Georgia Port Authority can provide.

    The port needs $45 million to build the intermodal terminal to serve the MOL-owned TraPac container terminal, and support Hanjin's facility to open in 2018, reports Newark's Journal of Commerce. But CSX Transportation isn't expected to give its top rival, Norfolk Southern, access to the facility, but NS said it would keep its trucking rates competitive.

    "This new transfer facility will allow Jaxport to better compete with other ports around the world since the funding will allow it to transfer cargo off the port to its final location via rail in a quicker and more efficient manner," said Florida Democratic Congresswoman Corrine Brown.

(Source:Shippinggazette)