The Jacksonville Port Authority, Jacksonville, Fla., broke ground on its new JAXPORT Intermodal Container Transfer Facility (ICTF) at the Dames Point Marine Terminal, which will provide on-dock rail service to JAXPORT’s North Jacksonville marine terminals.

The new facility, expected to be operational in late 2015, will complement existing on-dock rail facilities at the Blount Island Marine Terminal, and will further enhance the competitiveness of both Blount Island and the TraPac Container Terminal at Dames Point by facilitating the direct transfer of containers between vessels and trains, speeding up the shipment process and reducing the number of trucks on the road.

“What we are marking here today is one more milestone toward maximizing the benefits of the public assets entrusted to us,” says Joe York, chairman of the JAXPORT board of directors. “We are building on an already outstanding transportation system that supports Florida’s role as a gateway for international trade into and out of the Sunshine State and the Southeast U.S. We are capitalizing on the recognition and investment we receive from our federal government, as a port of importance to the nation’s health and economic well-being.”

“Once up and running, this facility will enhance our ability to generate jobs and prosperity for our fellow citizens,” adds York. “The benefits are clear—faster movement of goods in a supply chain seeking ever more time efficiency, the environmentally friendly vision of fewer trucks on our roads and a clear competitive advantage that JAXPORT and our tenants and customers will market to the world.”