2 new cranes for Blount Island
They're replacing a pair that were destroyed during a windstorm in August 2008.
Blount Island's skyline of cargo container cranes, visible from the Dames Point bridge, is getting bigger.
The Jacksonville Port Authority this week received delivery of two brand-new cargo container cranes. Costing $10 million apiece, the cranes will replace a pair of cranes destroyed three years ago in a windstorm.
The new cranes will give JaxPort a total of eight cranes at Blount Island. JaxPort spokesman Nancy Rubin said the additions will give Blount Island more flexibility in the "finely tuned dance" of getting cargo on and off ships.
Mike Shaffner, port manager of APM Terminals's site at Blount Island, said the company has been able to coordinate with the JaxPort to keep business growing. Still, he said the new cranes will make it easier to attract customers who want to know how many cranes are available in their preferred time slots.
"What it's going to really provide us with is increased capacity and flexibility for our existing customers and be able to go get new customers," Shaffner said.
The cranes were built by Chinese company ZPMC, which makes 80 percent of container cranes worldwide, according to JaxPort. The port authority filed insurance claims to pay for the replacements after the 2008 storm.
After moving the cranes from a ship onto the dock, workers will position the cranes on tracks and get them ready for use. The cranes could be operational in October.
david.bauerlein@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4581