Trailer Bridge, Ports America form partnership for JaxPort operations (courtesy of the Jacksonville Daily Record) — In a deal that could span up to 20 years, Jacksonville-based transportation company Trailer Bridge and Ports America announced they had reached an agreement to support Trailer Bridge’s Jones Act barge service between JaxPort and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
In an Aug. 31 news release, Trailer Bridge and Morristown, New Jersey-based Ports America said the term of the agreement is for 10 years, with two additional five-year extension options.
The release said that as part of the partnership, Ports America would provide stevedoring services at Trailer Bridge’s JaxPort operation at Blount Island and implement Ports America’s Dockworks online cargo tracking and management software system.
The Jones Act is a federal law that requires shipping between two U.S. ports to be conducted on U.S.-built, -owned, -flagged and -crewed vessels.
“We are looking at every part of our Puerto Rico service and investing in the areas that will make us stronger for our customers,” Trailer Bridge CEO Mitch Luciano said in the release. “That includes our vessels, our people, our operational partners and the technology that connects it all. Our partnership with Ports America is another important step in that strategy, giving us the tools and operational support to deliver a better experience for our customers.”
Trailer Bridge said the partnership was part of a larger strategy to strengthen its Jones Act service. The company said it spent about $9 million in scheduled dry dock work across its roll-on, roll-off vessels while also realigning its executive leadership team to improve operations and better serve customers.
David Eckles, vice president of Gulf and South Atlantic operations for Ports America, said the deal “is about bringing the full breadth of Ports America’s capabilities to the table, including our people, technology and decades of terminal operating expertise.
“Together with Trailer Bridge, we have an opportunity to enhance how cargo moves through the Jacksonville terminal while using technology to create greater connectivity and visibility across its broader operation,” he said.