Ports: Expanded NYK Line service on tap for Jacksonville; night gate operations on slate for Vancouver

The Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) last week announced that NYK Line will expand its roll-on/roll-off (ro/ro) service to and from the Port of Jacksonville to various connections, including points in Asia.

To launch in June, the new connections will enhance NYK Line’s existing ro/ro service to the Middle East, with sailings from the port increasing to three per month, JAXPORT officials said in a press release.

The newly expanded service will offer connections to Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Japan and Australia, as well China and Taiwan via Japan. Service also will continue between Jacksonville and dozens of other ports in the Mideast, Central America and Mexico, and on South America's West Coast.

The northern Florida port is the nation’s No. 1 seaport for vehicle exports, serving 14 ocean carriers that move autos for more than a dozen manufacturers and three automobile processors located in close proximity to ro/ro berths, JAXPORT officials said. The port's three cargo terminals are served by CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway and Florida East Coast Railway, and are located near interstates 10, 75 and 95.

Meanwhile, TSI Terminal Systems Inc. and DP World (Canada) Inc. yesterday announced plans to introduce night gate operations five days per week at Port Metro Vancouver's major container terminals, effective July 1.

The additional operating hours will reduce truck traffic and congestion during peak daytime hours, maximize the use of existing port infrastructure and create more opportunities for growth by offering truckers a wider range of access times at the terminals, TSI Terminals and DP World officials said in a press release.

To ensure efficiency and recover the costs of additional operating hours, a daytime reservation fee will be implemented, they said. The amount and timeframe will be determined in part by an initial study conducted by a management consulting firm, TSI Terminals and DP World officials said.

"It is important for us to address the issue of congestion around the ports and wait times for truckers," said DP World General Manager Maksim Mihic.