JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As global shipping routes shift toward Southeast Asia, Jacksonville is emerging as a growing entry point for international cargo as JAXPORT moves ahead with major multi-million-dollar expansion projects.
Some of the world’s largest cargo ships are now making direct runs into Jacksonville’s port, Florida’s largest container hub.
The growth is being noticed by local business leaders who say the impact is already showing up on store shelves and in supply chains.
Tina Pham, President of the Asian Chamber of Commerce of North Florida, says she is encouraged by the port’s expansion.
“I’m very grateful that we have a port here, and it’s growing,” said Pham.
She says many local grocery stores depend heavily on imports from Asia to keep everyday products in stock.
“All the Asian grocery stores in town pretty much have to ship coconut and rice and everything from Asia ... to come here for sale,” said Pham.
Manufacturing has steadily shifted toward South and Southeast Asia, including countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, India, and Malaysia.
To keep pace with those global changes, JAXPORT is undergoing a major expansion that includes raising power lines across the St. Johns River and deepening shipping channels so larger vessels can safely pass through.
Port leadership says the facility already ranks among the busiest and most diverse in the nation.
“We are the 10th largest port in the world for handling shipping containers. The 3rd largest for handling automobiles. And we’re one of the top 10 in the U.S. for handling forest products, things like paper and pulp,” said JAXPORT Chief Commercial Officer Robert Peek.
Officials say that activity translates into a major economic footprint across the region, supporting tens of thousands of jobs.
“We only have 180 employees who work for the port authority... People whose jobs are dependent on the port, it’s about 30,000 jobs,” said Peek.
That ripple effect is felt locally, with imported goods moving through Jacksonville and onto shelves in neighborhoods across Northeast Florida.
Local business leaders say small, Asian-owned businesses in particular rely on those steady supply chains.
“I know that there are businesses that Asian small business owners who get a lot of products from Asia,” said Pham.
As global trade continues to shift, port officials say Jacksonville is increasingly positioned as a key player in the future of international shipping and logistics.
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